The Legend of Zelda: Fate vs Destiny
by Ani1
Summary: After Ganon's defeat, Fate decides to brainwash the world, except six sages and a few others. Will Destiny choose otherwise? R&R please! Violence and language later on. Chapter 10 is up!
1. Chapter 1: GoodBye

Disclaimer: No, I do NOT own Zelda or any of the other stuff (wish I did, though)!  
  
Besides, if I did, I wouldn't be writing this, right? Anyway, this is my first fanfic so pleez go easy on me, 'kay? Enjoy! ^_^  
  
The Legend of Zelda:  
Fate vs. Destiny  
  
Chapter 1: Good-Bye  
  
" Link . . . give the ocarina to me. With it, I can send you back to your original time." The Hero of Time handed the ocarina to the princess. As he did so, she laid her hand on his with sad eyes.  
  
"When peace returns to Hyrule . . . it will be time for us to say good-bye. . ."  
  
She held the tiny instrument. Link could only stare. He wanted to talk and say something. Anything. But, he couldn't . . . Part of his mind told him to shut up and stay silent so he wouldn't hurt her anymore. The other part scolded him for keeping quiet. The young princess was going to send him back to his time so he could live out his life like everyone else, and it would hurt her to let him go. So if he, by any chance, says a certain three- word phrase* he'd been dying to tell her, it would pain her even more . . . Instead, he kept quiet and looked into her eyes. They were the color of heaven, a mixture of blue and purple. She answered by staring back into those ocean blue eyes she knew too well. After a brief moment, she let go of his hand and smiled.  
  
"Now, go home Link. Regain your lost time. Home . . . where you are supposed to be . . ." She swallowed. ' . . . The way you're supposed to be . . ."  
  
Those last words were too painful. It felt like sharp razor blades were stabbing her heart at every beat, and it hurt. A lot. She brought the ocarina up to her lips. Taking one last look at the man before her, she closed her eyes and played a sweet melody similar to "Zelda's Lullaby". Link looked around and noticed that the familiar blue portal was starting to emerge right under him. Zelda opened her eyes again and could only watch as he rose higher into the sky. He looked back down at her, pain tightening his throat, unable to speak. She said her last few words and he disappeared behind a flash of blue light. When he opened his eyes again, Link was back in the Temple of Time. Her voice was still ringing through his mind.  
  
"Link-"  
  
He looked up at Navi, the fairy. Her majestic glow made her look like a rather big pearl with wings. She gently sat on his shoulder sympathetically and full of concern.  
  
"I'm fine Navi . . ."  
  
He almost chocked out the words, though. But he was ready . . . He was ready to let everything go. His adventures, his victories, his friends . . . He was even ready to let her go even though it killed him . . . He unsheathed the legendary Master Sword and walked up to the Pedestal of Time. He slowly laid the sword back to rest and soon, was again blinded by a blue light.  
  
~*~  
  
Link stared at himself. He was young again, wearing the same green tunic and equipped with only a sword and shield. The other weapons were gone. He didn't need them anymore.  
  
"Navi, you go ahead without me . . . I'll catch up . . . "  
  
The little fairy hesitated. "Link-"  
  
"Please Navi . . . I need some time alone . . . "  
  
She understood and gave him a little peck on the nose before flying out of the window . . .  
  
~*~  
  
"Thank you, Link . . . Good-Bye . . . "  
  
Those had been Zelda's last words. And he had kept his mouth shut. He hadn't said anything in return and totally blew it . . .  
  
"Link, you idiot . . . " He scolded himself.  
  
He took one last look at the Master Sword before closing the Door of Time and headed outside. As he walked towards the tunnel that led to the Kokiri Forest, Link didn't notice the tears running down his cheeks . . .  
*~~~*~~~*  
  
*: If you haven't figured it out yet, that "certain three-word phrase" is: I love you  
  
Author's notes: I know, I know.kinda short for a first chappy, he? But I promise that the next one will be longer (so don't sue me.). Please review! I would gladly appreciate it! ^_~  
  
Ani 


	2. Chapter 2: Brainwash

Kaguya: Yes! You've read my story! I know it's bad and stuff, but I'm working on it! See ya in chapter 3.! ^_~  
  
Gunoung7 : Thanks! I tried to fix the (many) mistakes on the first chapter. Anyway, I tried to make this one as long as possible. At least it isn't as short as the first one, I can tell you that. ^_^  
  
Maelgwyn: I know. . . I've got major mistakes. And I mean BIG TIME! I tried to fix them. I just hope that this chappy is mistake-free. . . Anyhow, thanks for reviewing. =^_^=  
  
Disclaimer: Like I said, I do NOT own Zelda, Link and everyone else (so don't kill me) . . . I tried to get this up as soon as possible. And as promised, it IS longer than Chapter 1! Hope you'll like it. ~_^  
  
And now, let's get this show on the road!  
  
The Legend of Zelda:  
Fate VS Destiny  
  
Chapter 2: Brainwash  
  
"Link! LINK! C'mon, WAKE UP!"  
  
Saria, Link's childhood friend, was madly shaking him until his head began to wobble back and forth. He mumbled.  
  
"For Hyrule's sake, Link! Won't you get up?!"  
  
He finally answered: ". . . no. . . too sleepy. . ."  
  
She was shocked.  
  
"How can you be sleepy?! It's past 10 o'clock! Besides, Navi is very anxious to see you."  
  
This finally shook him up.  
  
"Navi's here?" He asked while rubbing his eyes.  
  
"Yeah. She's waiting for you outside. She said she wanted to show you something. . ."  
  
Link slowly got up and searched around for his boots. The sunlight shone brightly through his blond hair, creating a halo around his head, and bangs would always fall into his liquid blue eyes every time he bent down. Saria stared.  
  
His muscles were highly developed and very well defined, and he looked really cute without a shirt on (still wearing pants, you perverts!). She knew, because she would often watch him train in the middle of the night, and the way the moonlight reflected his face made it irresistible to watch. Although the Kokiri sword grew smaller for him, he still practiced with sticks and branches, and she would never missed the opportunity to watch.  
  
Link and Saria had been friends ever since he could remember. She would always help him through others' mistreatment counting the fact that he was "different". She could some times make him laugh and she would cry with him in the hardest of times. Needless to say, she really liked him.  
  
Saria quickly shook that thought. Things would never work out between them. She was a Kokiri and he was a Hylian; Link was growing up and she would still be a child wether she liked it or not. His mother died bringing him to the Great Deku Tree when he was just a baby. Since then, he had been raised in the Kokiri Forest. Unfortunately, he had been the Chosen One, and Destiny chose him and the princess, Zelda, to pierce the evil in Hyrule. Together, they defeated Ganondorf and Zelda had sent him back.  
  
But to spare them the horrible memories, Fate decided to brainwash them. And now, only the legendary six Sages remember, and Saria was one of them.  
  
Oh Rauru, she thought, I want to tell him so badly. But the laws forbid us. . . Link is growing up and might leave us someday. . . What should I do?  
  
Link's voice shot her back to reality.  
  
" Huh? Wha- Sorry, I wasn't listening. . . "  
  
Link stared. "I said: You're standing on my hat."  
  
Saria swallowed and looked down. So she was. She blushed and quickly stepped out of the way. "Sorry. . . 'bout that. . ." She mumbled. "Do you always have to keep that thing lying around all the time?"  
  
Link just grinned and picked it up.  
  
" I guess I better get going," she said, " If you need me, I'll be in the Forest Meadow."  
  
He smiled. "Alright. See ya later!"  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Oh! Link! You're finally here! You don't know how glad I am to see you! I missed you sooooo much!"  
  
Navi had been zooming around madly since Link jumped down his Tree House. He was soon greeted by a kiss on the cheek and a teeny weenie hug from his old friend.  
  
"It's good to see you too, Navi." He laughed.  
  
"C'mon, Link! There's something I need to show you! Hurry up before it's too late!" The little fairy squeaked while pulling his sleeve.  
  
Link chuckled and broke into a run with Navi taking the lead.  
  
"What exactly are you showing me?" Link asked.  
  
"Can't tell you! It's a surprise!" She said. "Now, keep running or else we won't make it in time!"  
  
Link sighed. They soon ran past the Kokiri Shop and reached a clearing. They both stopped to take their breaths.  
  
"This way, Link," she urged. They walked through the thick passage and arrived at the Great Deku Tree's resting place. The guardian had been killed by a curse cast by Din-knows-what, and Link couldn't seem to remember how it all ended. From what he heard, a certain someone lifted the curse before the Tree died. . .  
  
"Oh, good! We're right on time!" Navi clapped her hands in delight. He stared. The Tree was still the same: motionless, black and dead. Then something caught his eyes. It was a tiny plant growing by the Great Deku Tree's roots. He turned to Navi.  
  
"What is that?"  
  
But the fairy just smiled. "You'll see!"  
  
Link bent down and watched.  
  
Nothing.  
  
Until. . . SHOOMP!!!!!  
  
They both jumped. What used to be the leafless plant somehow turned into a wide and fat shrub* the size of a medium boulder. It had two tiny black dots for eyes and would have had and ear-to-ear smile if he had any ears to reach. Two branches popped out of its sides and leaves emerged from his round head. Whatever it was, it sure looked happy.  
  
"Hi there! Very pleased to meet you, I'm sure. I'm the Great Deku Sprout. And who might you be?"  
  
That's when Navi came in: "Hello! Very nice to meet you too! I'm Navi and this is my friend, Link. We've been waiting for you!"  
  
The little "tree" blushed. "Gosh! Thanks!" He looked up at Link. "Are you a real life Kokiri? This is the first time I ever see one! They must be really tall for kids their age!"  
  
The young man was lost in thought. What the Deku Sprout said was true. . . He was abnormally tall for a Kokiri. . . Saria was already a head shorter than him, barely reaching his neck. And unlike all Kokiries, Link didn't have a fairy. Navi was only a friend that came to visit from time to time. Other than that, she would watch over the Deku Tree's mysteriously dead "body" until a new guardian would be found.  
  
The Kokiries, especially the Great Mido, their so-called leader, always considered Link "different". Only Navi and Saria had rushed up to his defense, rather quickly in Link's opinion. They would always find ways to set aside his weirdness among the crowds and make him look normal. But what if he wasn't? What if. . .  
  
Navi's reply sent him back to reality. "Yes, Link's a Kokiri. . . "  
  
He noticed hesitation in her voice, though.  
  
"But he's not that tall. He's just. . . special, that's all!"  
  
Okay. That was way far off. But he guessed he couldn't really blame her. He really was changing. . .  
  
"Oh, really?" was the Deku Sprout's reply. He obviously wasn't convinced. "Then I suppose you're his guardian fairy, right?"  
  
Navi looked down, admitting defeat. "No. . . just a friend. . . "  
  
The little shrub looked surprised.  
  
"Huh? But all Kokiries have fairies. Why don't you? You are a Kokiri, aren't you?"  
  
But he soon regretted asking, seeing the sad look on the boy's face. He quickly added: "I'm sorry, Link! I didn't mean to hurt your feelings! Please don't be mad!"  
  
"It's okay. . ." He mumbled.  
  
The fairy flew up. "Well, it was really nice to meet you, but we have to go! We'll come visit later, okay? Bye!"  
  
She said it very fast and the next thing he knew, Link was being pushed out of the place by a very panicked Navi.  
  
"Well, that was fun! Those Deku Sprouts. . . Don't worry about them. They'll be a lot wiser when they grow into Deku Trees."  
  
There was a slight pause.  
  
"I know. . ." Link murmured.  
  
They began to walk up to his hut. Suddenly, he stopped.  
  
"Navi. . . Am I a true Kokiri? I want you to be honest," he added as she opened her mouth.  
  
She closed it shut and thought for a while. For some reason, Navi still remembered. She remembered their trip to the alternate future, their adventures, and the six sages. She remembered Sheik, survivor of the Sheikah, who had helped them get to the sacred Temples throughout Hyrule. She remembered their meeting with Princess Zelda at the Temple of Time, how the evil king Ganondorf had kidnapped her, and their rescue. She also remembered Ganon's defeat and the world's sudden memory loss. Should she really tell him? Was it necessary? After all, he had a right to know. But then. . . Maybe she didn't have to. Maybe-  
  
"Link," she began, "I'm afraid I cannot answer your question. . . I'm sorry. . ."  
  
Link nodded and looked down. Navi swallowed.  
  
"But. . . If you really want to know. . . I can help you find out for yourself. And this time, I'll stay with you."  
  
He looked up and gave her a faint smile.  
  
"Thanks Navi."  
  
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*  
  
*shrub: It's just a baby tree, but it looks more like a beach ball. -_-'  
  
Author's Notes: A-Hah! I told you that this would be a larger chapter! 4 ¼ pages!!! A self-record! I know it isn't much yet, but his adventure starts at about Chapter 4. . . I'm not sure yet, though. You'll just have to find out! ^_^ And plz review!  
  
Ani  
  
Oh, and before I forget: I know that it's the summer, and I know that most of you guys don't have school. . . but I still do. And to make things worse, I get my final exams next week! How fun is that! Anyway, it'll probably take a while for my chapters to update, since I have to study and all. Just take that as an early warning. 


	3. Chapter 3: Spirits

Disclaimer: No, no, no! Like I said before, I don't own Zelda and all the fun stuff! But you already knew that. Sorry, for all the wait; I had to study really hard for the final exams. . . But, now that everything's over, I'll have much more time to update the next few chapters! ^_^  
  
The Legend of Zelda:  
Fate VS Destiny  
  
Chapter 3: Spirits  
  
Saria didn't come home tonight, so she was still at the Forest Meadow. She and Link often went there to play hide-and-seek, and he knew this place like the back of his hand. He didn't know how, nor where, he just knew.  
  
" I often see this place as my personal home," Saria once said, " My secret hiding place. . . Here, I can share my feelings with the wind and speak my mind to my heart. I feel like I am the forest's protector in a way. . . I often feel that way."  
  
Unlike Saria, Link didn't really like the forest. He always wondered why the Kokiries never left this 'trap' and explore the world around them. There was so much to see, people to meet, treasures to discover, and mysteries to unlock. He never understood why they wouldn't take that chance. . .  
  
"Navi," he asked, "Why don't the Kokiries ever leave the forest?"  
  
She thought for a while.  
  
"Well. . . it's kinda hard to explain. . . The Kokiries are children and were meant to stay that way. You can say they're immortal, in a way. . . And if they leave the forest, they start growing up, but differently. See, their souls suffer from the changes, and they'll die eventually after only a few years. . .But in your case, that's another story-"  
  
"Because I'm different?" he interrupted.  
  
"I never said that, Link!" she said, "I promised I would help you find out and I will! Now, come on!"  
  
Navi led Link to the Lost Woods' entrance right behind Mido's house. On the other side were three tunnels. One of them would lead to the next 'clearing', and the other two led back to the Kokiri Forest. This time, however, a merry and joyful song could be heard across the wind. Link had often heard this tune. It was Saria's favorite and she loved to play it on her fairy ocarina. He followed the melody with Navi by his side, walking through different tunnels as they went. Soon, they found themselves before a majestic temple covered with plants and vines. They were in the Forest Meadow. . . And on an old cut tree trunk sat Saria, playing the tune with her instrument. Navi gently pushed Link forward and he slowly walked up to the girl. She put down the ocarina and kept her eyes closed.  
  
"I knew you'd leave someday. . ." she said, "Because you're different from me and my friends."  
  
She looked up. "But. . . that's okay. . . because we'll still be friends, won't we?"  
  
She reached into her pocket and pulled out an instrument very similar to hers.  
  
"I want you to have this ocarina. . . Please take it."  
  
Link reached out and took the fairy ocarina. It glowed with a mystic light.  
  
Saria continued: " This song is one of my favorites. Would you like to learn?"  
  
He smiled and nodded.  
  
"Alright. . . Now listen carefully."  
  
She brought the ocarina to her lips and played the tune. She repeated again and said: "Now you try."  
  
Link tried to follow, but started too high.  
  
"Wait- What was the first note again?"  
  
She played the first low note. Link copied and said: "Okay. . . And the next one?"  
  
She smiled and played a higher note. He followed suit. After a few tries, he finally played the tune. Saria laughed.  
  
"Yes, that's it! You did it Link!"  
  
But wait. . . This scene seemed somehow familiar to him. . .like he experienced it sometime in the past before. But he couldn't seem to remember. . . Link quickly threw away that thought and focused on his question instead.  
  
"Saira. . ." he started slowly, "I know this may seem weird, but. . . I really have to know. . . Saria, am I a Kokiri?"  
  
This had her shocked. "What are you saying, Link?! Of course you're-"  
  
"Please Saria! Don't lie to me! I want you to tell me the truth!" he interrupted.  
  
The girl paused and looked at the ground. "Link. . . I can't tell you. . .but. . ." She held up her ocarina. "Did you know that if you play the song I just taught you in this forest, you can speak to the spirits of the trees?"  
  
What? He had no idea what Saria was talking about. He had a feeling that she was giving him a hint, in a way. It wouldn't hurt to try. . . Okay, then! He backed up a few steps, took his instrument and played the melody. It resonated through the woods and soon, a blinding green light lit up the ground. When it finally died down, Link found himself before a giant tree's ghost. The tree had thick green eyebrows and a huge mustache. It was the Great Deku Tree.  
  
"Great Deku Tree!" Navi and Saira both gasped. Link stared.  
  
"Link," the tree said, "I know thou hast been restless these past few days. . .and I know why thou are standing here as well. But I fear I must only reveal thee what thou are, and nothing more."  
  
Link sighed and Saria hesitated. "But. . . Great Deku Tree, we're not allowed-"  
  
"It is alright, child," he said, "We are not breaking any rules by revealing his origins. . .and Link has a right to know. Thou owe him that."  
  
Saria slowly nodded and looked down and the boy looked at her. What the Hell were they talking about? Link hated being the last one to know everything. . .  
  
"Link,"  
  
He turned back to the Great Deku Tree.  
  
"Thou hast been growing up, both body and mind. Thus, because thou are not a Kokiri. . . You are a Hylian. . ."  
  
The boy frowned. So it was true. . . This whole time, and he didn't know. . . The tree continued: "A long time ago. . . long before the King founded the city of Hyrule, a fierce war broke into our world. . . And to escape the fires of the war, a young Hylian mother and her baby boy entered the forbidden forest. The mother was severely wounded and didn't have much time to live. . ."  
  
Saria stepped up. "That baby was you, Link. . . After your mother passed away, we took care of you. . ." She swallowed and looked down. "But you weren't just any Hylian. . .you. . .you're special. . .and were always bound to leave the forest." She closed her eyes and tried to hold back tears. Link slowly nodded.  
  
"I see. . ." he said quietly. What a weird feeling. . . Although it was the first time he had ever heard this, he couldn't shake the feeling that this was all quite familiar. What was going on?!  
  
"I do not have much time left, my children. . ." said the Great Deku Tree, "And that is why I must leave. . ."  
  
"Wait!" said Link, "I have so many questions-"  
  
The Tree nodded. "I know what those questions are. . . but I cannot answer them. You must find the Oracle and ask her."  
  
"The Oracle?" he asked.  
  
"Yes. . . the Princess of Destiny will tell you where she is. You must stay strong, Link. . . Farewell. . ."  
  
There was again a flash of green light and the Tree disappeared. Link stared. Princess of Destiny. . . That sounded so. . .familiar. Where had he heard it before? And more importantly, WHY WAS HE ALWAYS GETTING THOSE STUPID "FAMILIAR" FEELINGS?! Without warning, Saria flung her arms around his neck (despite her small size) and started crying while giving him a killer hug.  
  
"Saria! " he gasped. The girl tightened her grip.  
  
"I am so. . .sorry, Link! . . . I . . . I want to help you. . .but I. . . I can't," she said between sobs.  
  
Link hugged her back. "It's okay, Saria. . ." he said softly, "You don't need to help me. . ."  
  
She slowly let go and said: "But. . . I wish I could. . ." She quickly whipped her tears with the back of her hand and looked up at him. "Will. . .Will I ever see you again?"  
  
He smiled. "Of course! I'll come and visit! I promise."  
  
Saria smiled back. "I know you will. . . and. . . if you want to speak to me, you can play the song I taught you. . ."  
  
"Alright. Thanks," he said  
  
"I wish you good luck, and. . . Good-bye Link. . ."  
  
"Good-bye Saria. . ." He turned to leave.  
  
"Link!"  
  
He jumped. He almost forgot Navi was there.  
  
"Link, I'm coming with you! I'm not leaving you ever again! And besides, I made a promise!"  
  
He laughed. "Okay, then! Let's go!"  
  
He took one last look at his childhood friend and ran down the stairs. Saria watched them go until they were out of sight. . .  
  
*~~~*~~~*~~~*  
  
Author's Notes: There ya go! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Now, I'll have more time to update the next ones. Be seeing ya!  
  
Ani ^_~ 


	4. Chapter 4: Lon Lon Ranch

Author's Notes: Hi y'all! Here it is! Chapter 4! And boy, IT IS LONG! I hope that the other chapters will be just as long, (maybe longer). Lol. I don't own anything, so no more disclaimers! Oh, and thank you all for reviewing! I really appreciate it! ^_^ On with the story!  
  
The Legend of Zelda:  
  
Fate VS Destiny  
  
Chapter 4: Lon Lon Ranch  
  
Link was on the bridge that led out of the forest. He was starting to walk when he heard a voice.  
  
"Hey Link! Wait up!"  
  
A little Kokiri ran up to him and stopped to take his breath. It was Mido.  
  
"What do you want?" he asked annoyed.  
  
"I just wanted to know where Saria went. . ." he panted. "She didn't come home today and I got worried. . . You always know because she tells you everything. . ."  
  
Link softened a bit. "She's at the Forest Meadow." He turned to leave but the Kokiri stopped him.  
  
"And where are YOU going?" he asked in this casual sort of voice. Link's anger started to rise up again.  
  
"I'm leaving, okay? Now get outta my way."  
  
Mido stayed. "What?! You're leaving?! But. . . What about Saria? What would she say?"  
  
"Saria already knows," he said.  
  
Now, Mido had this you-can't-be-serious kinda look. "But WHY?! Why are you leaving?! You can't! I won't let you leave Saria! You're her best friend! You can't just LEAVE! And anyways, you'd die outside the forest!"  
  
"Look, don't make me anymore miserable than I am already! I don't need it. Besides, since when do YOU care?"  
  
Mido swallowed and looked down. "You're not a Kokiri now, are you?" he said (rather than asked) in a low voice. It was Link's turn to look down, not needing to answer. He slowly walked past the Kokiri when he stopped him again.  
  
"Link."  
  
The boy turned. Mido looked up to reveal a sad face Link had never seen before. It was almost sad to watch, and he felt sorry for the Kokiri. . . in an arch-rival kind of way.  
  
"If. . .if you're really leaving, then I won't stop you. . . But, can I just say something?"  
  
He had his puppy-eyes look, and Link wasn't in any hurry (yet), so what the heck?  
  
"Go ahead," he responded.  
  
Mido swallowed again. "I want to. . .apologize. . .because I was so mean to you. You've been nice to everyone else, even me sometimes, and I would just treat you like a stranger. . . I was jealous. . . Saria really likes you, everyone respects you. . . That used to be me before you came in. But I was blinded by selfishness. . .and that was wrong. If there's any way I can make up for that, I'll do it. You just name it."  
  
Lin, however, was too shocked for words. Mido was apologizing to HIM???!!! Link???!!! Impossible! Insane!  
  
"Well. . ." he said trying to think of something. "There is one thing you could do. . ."  
  
"Really? And what's that?" he asked.  
  
"Just. . .just take care of Saria for me. . ."  
  
The Kokiri stood, wide-eyed. "S-sure thing, Link."  
  
With that, Link turned and disappeared through the tunnel, with Mido still watching. Navi popped out of his hat.  
  
"Mido actually apologized?!"  
  
"Hey, I could hardly believe it myself. . ." he said. He never had time to think over what just happened because Navi said: "Well, we're here. Welcome to Hyrule Field, Link!"  
  
He couldn't believe it. He had done it! The entrance to the forest was right behind him. He really was a Hylian! The sunlight was too bright and he had to blink a few times. Navi, meanwhile, was babbling about how he would get used to it over time and that speaking of time, they better get going. But he was only half listening.  
  
Farore, this place was HUGE! There wasn't anything really beautiful about it. . . The grass was fairly green and trees could be seen across the horizon. But the bluish (A/N: Is that how you spell it???) color of the sky and the freshness of the air made it, well, easy to drift into. Despite the fact that this was his first time in Hyrule Field (or so he thought), this place seemed eerily familiar to Link. Like he had been here many, many times before. . . He hated his life!  
  
First, he gets the feeling that he's different. Second, he finds out that he is NOT a Kokiri (surprise, surprise). Third, he needs to find the Oracle if he wants answers to his questions (mind you, he's not even sure what an Oracle is). Fourth,, only the princess knows where to find her (not to mention that he has NO idea where that princess is)! Oh, and let's not forget his personal favorite: Mido's apology, which none of the others could possibly compare to. Gee. Isn't that comforting. He couldn't gulp all this down! It was too much of a big piece to chew!  
  
Like Navi or anyone else ever had anything to worry about. Look at her, she was still babbling! Only now she's talking about how she loved to ride down here and smell the fresh air. What does she mean by 'ride'? She can't even run! Let alone walk! Anyway, she wouldn't say more and then gives him I- know-something-you-don't glare. But he guessed that he imagined it since it was gone as fast as it had come. That fairy was something! And to tell that he couldn't remember their first meeting. Hmmm. . . That must have happened. . .about four years ago or something. . . Great Goddesses, he couldn't remember! He really disgusts himself. And Navi's still talking. What fun.  
  
"-Anyway, Link, we better go to Hyrule Castle Town before-. . . Link? Link?? Are you listening?!"  
  
She turned to look at him but regretted as soon as she did so. He was standing, so he was physically here; he was breathing (in and out, in and out. . .), so he was alive alright. But that wasn't it. He had this blank stare like she wasn't even there, and his eyes. . . Boy, were they scary! They were (and even a blabbermouth like Navi couldn't find the right words). . . empty- or anything you can think about that's close enough. They weren't the usual, happy, ocean blue, too bright to look into kinda eyes. Instead, they were dark. Almost black. . .and, well. . .empty! What other word could she find? The little fairy was starting to feel pretty uncomfortable.  
  
"Yoo-hoo! Link! Are you there?! Stop staring like that! You're giving me the heebie-jeebies! (a/n: Is that how you spell it???)"  
  
He didn't even blink. So, mentally, he wasn't there. . .  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
//Where am I. . . ? Wait. . . I know this place. This is my house! I'm back home! In the Kokiri Forest! But, how? What in Din's world am I doing here?! And on the bed, that's. . . me?! I must be getting paranoid! There's another 'me' in my house! Is this some kind of dream? (What a coincidence: 'other me' is sleeping as well) He does look a lot younger. . .like around 11 years old. . . He's struggling pretty hard and is shaking madly. There's sweat on his face, too. . . He's having a nightmare.  
  
Someone's coming. . . That's Navi! Why can't she see me? She doesn't seem to hear me, either. She flies up to 'other me'.  
  
"Hello, Link! The Great Deku Tree wants to see you! Get up!"  
  
'Other me' grumbles and turns. That's me alright. . . Now she's getting pretty annoyed.  
  
"Hey, c'mon!" she shouts while zooming around the bed. "Can Hyrule's destiny really depend on such a lazy boy?!"  
  
Yep. That's Navi alright. . . Young Link slowly gets up and rubs his eyes. He looks up.  
  
"You finally woke up!" says Navi. "I'm Navi, the fairy! Great Deku Tree said that I should be your partner from now on! Nice to meet you!"  
  
What? Is this our first meeting? 'Other me' looks surprised.  
  
"My own fairy? For real?"  
  
I can't believe I was so small. . .  
  
"Yep!" she says. "The Great Deku Tree has summoned you. So let's get going!"  
  
'Other me' hesitates, then nods and starts running out the door.//  
  
"Link! LINK!! Hyrule to Link! This is Navi speaking! The little fairy with a very short temper that might explode at any moment if you don't snap out of it!!!"  
  
Still wouldn't work. He didn't even blink.  
  
//I have to follow them. . . I need to find out what happened.//  
  
"Link!"  
  
//I run out of the house and climb down the stairs.//  
  
"Link, wake up!"  
  
//He's talking to Saria. What are they saying?//  
  
"LINK!!!!!"  
  
Too late. SPLASH!!!!  
  
His hat had been filled with water and dropped on his head by a very, VERY panicked Navi.  
  
"Great Goddesses, NAVI!!! What was that for?!"  
  
This would have been very funny if the situation hadn't been so serious. Navi looked quite happy.  
  
"Oh, thank Din! You're awake!"  
  
"Awake? What are you talking about?"  
  
She took a deep breath. "Well. . . I really don't know how to say this. . . Your eyes got all dark, and you were just staring like nothing was there! It was like. . . like you were in some kind of coma. . ." She shivered. "But don't ever do that again!"  
  
"Okay, okay! Sorry about that!" he said. What was that all about? Was it a dream? Or a memory. . .? Navi spoke again: "Well, now that you're back, can we just go?"  
  
Obviously, SHE wasn't worried about the fact that he had been WET for the past five seconds because of a certain hyper-insane fairy he knew. . .  
  
Navi," he said as smoothly as possible. "In case you haven't noticed, I have been completely SOAKED to the bone because of you, my clothes are all wet, not to mention that I'll have to dry them, and I might as well have to make myself a new hat!!!"  
  
The fairy looked down at the object-in-question. Not only had it simply dropped on his head, but it stretched (in a way) thanks to the water pressure, and there also appeared to be holes all over it. . . Oops! Navi shrugged and tried not to laugh.  
  
"I don't see anything wrong with it. Okay, so maybe it got bigger and has a few holes over it. . . But, so what? You can still get it fixed!"  
  
Oooh, that was the last straw!  
  
"Navi, you're gonna pay for this. Big time."  
  
But all she did was stick out her tongue at him and say: "Not unless you catch me!" And there she goes, flying away towards the horizon. Link quickly picked up his hat while muttering something about fairies and started chasing after Navi.  
  
"Hey, no fair! You got a head start! COME BACK HERE!!!"  
  
The little fairy laughed and flew faster. The boy kept running, and soon noticed a bridge leading to a huge gate. Suddenly, they heard a wolf's howl, and Navi stopped, which caused Link to bump her from behind.  
  
"Ooww. . . Navi, did you HAVE to do that?" he asked while rubbing his nose.  
  
She wasn't listening, though.  
  
"Uh-Oh."  
  
He froze.  
  
"I heard that. Whaddya mean by 'uh-oh'?"  
  
She didn't need to answer. It was already night and the gate was closed. The moon was shining brightly in the sky and the stars were glowing faintly.  
  
"Great. NOW, how are we gonna get to the Market?"  
  
Link was confused. "Market?"  
  
Navi mentally slapped herself. 'Farore, I really wish he didn't get brainwashed after that Ganon incident! This is going to be so tough to explain,' she thought. And as luck would have it, three medium-sized skeleton beings emerged from the ground right behind Link and started walking clumsily towards the boy.  
  
"Whoa! What the- ???"  
  
He seized his Kokiri sword/dagger and backed up.  
  
"Navi, what are those things?"  
  
Navi, though, seemed perfectly calm.  
  
"What? Oh, you mean these guys? They're called Stalchilds, but don't be afraid of 'em. Just attack them repeatedly!"  
  
He soon reached the edge of a river.  
  
"You're a great help, Navi. You know that?" he said in a sarcastic way.  
  
"Of course I do! Why else would I be here?"  
  
Link groaned and stabbed the first Stalchild right in the throat. Its arms, legs, and head fell off and it dissolved into flames. Right when he was about to charge for the second one, the third Stalchild hit him in the sides, which caused him to tumble closer to the edge of the water. He soon regained balance and braced himself with his wooden shield.  
  
Link," Navi yelled, "jump into the river!"  
  
"What?! Again?" He rolled to the side, avoiding another hit from the skeletons. The fairy grew frustrated.  
  
"Look, these guys are vulnerable to water, got that? Just do it!"  
  
Link mumbled and dived in, but only to rise to the surface again and yell: "Farore, this water's FREEZING!!!"  
  
"Oh, stop complaining and watch!" she snap.  
  
He glanced at the creatures. As soon as they touched the liquid, the Stalchilds ended just like the first one: right into flames. Wow. Where did Navi know all this? Link stepped out of the water and onto dry land. He was shivering, like crazy and his lips were turning blue.  
  
"Damn. . ." said the fairy. "The weather's pretty low at night. If you stay like this, things won't turn out so good. . ."  
  
He rubbed his arms, trying to stay warm. "Yeah. . . Let's find a place to sleep the night. Or some place where we won't see these- things again." Now he was trembling. Not good.  
  
"I know the perfect place. Let's go to Lon Lon Ranch-" But before she could finish, other skeletons popped from the ground and started for Navi, who flew higher to avoid their hits.  
  
"Just ignore them, Link," she said. "Follow me!"  
  
He gave them one last swing before sheathing his sword and running after Navi. The Stalchilds tried to follow, but in their current state, could only manage to walk in quite an unfortunate way. Seeing that this maneuver was getting them nowhere, the skeletons gave up their chase and sank back into the earth. Navi soon noticed this, and slowed down. So did Link.  
  
"See that ranch over there?" she pointed to a house not too far from them. "That's where we're going."  
  
He nodded and started to walk towards it. Navi gave him an encouraging push and dove into his pocket (since his hat wasn't available now) before he broke into a run once more. Once he arrived at Lon Lon Ranch, Link took a look at his surroundings. On either side of him were wooden buildings. Cows and horses could be heard in the building to his right. That must be the stable. On his left, he could hear people (men, actually) chattering in and about.  
  
But mostly, Link heard singing. A beautiful voice that came from up ahead. He followed the sound until he reached a very big, round fence. Right in the middle was a redheaded girl singing happily while petting a pretty, flaming red mare. As he walked closer, the horse turned its head towards Link. Seeing that, the girl stopped singing and whirled around to face him, a surprised expression on her face. There stood a blond-haired boy with bright blue eyes wearing strange green clothes. She softened and smiled.  
  
"Hello. I haven't seen you around here before. I'm Malon and this is my horse Epona. Welcome to Lon Lon Ranch!"  
  
Epona. . . Where had he heard that name before?  
  
Malon continued: "We normally don't get visitors at night. Are you from around here?"  
  
He shook his head. "No."  
  
The girl started patting her horse again. "Really? I thought so, because your clothes looked different. . ." She looked at him again. "Are you a fairy boy from the forest?"  
  
Link nodded. "Yeah. My name's Link. . . I'm looking for a place to stay the night."  
  
"Link. . ." she said. "Well, fairy boy, if you want, you can sleep in my room. But first, you'll have to dry yourself before you catch a cold."  
  
Link only now realized he had been shivering for the past few minutes and started clutching his arms again. Malon giggled. "Come with me."  
  
She led him to the house where he had heard the voices and opened the door. There were two men; one was sleeping peacefully on the stack of hay near the corner, and the other one was killing himself trying to catch runaway Cuccos scattered around the room.  
  
"Damn these chickens!" he yelled. "Can't even tell which is which! How does Talon do it?! Can't he keep his special-super-Cuccos or whatever outta my way so I won't have to cook any for dinner?!"  
  
"Sorry about him," Malon told Link. "Mr. Ingo is always grumpy. Especially when it comes to work."  
  
Link nodded and glanced at the sleeping man. "And who's that?" he asked.  
  
"That's my father, Talon. I admit it: he IS pretty lazy. . . Mr. Ingo always brags about it. He says that my dad never does enough work around here." She shrugged. "You wait right here, okay? I'll be right back."  
  
Then, she ran out the door and out of sight. Meanwhile, Link took a look around. There was a large stack of hay in the upper left corner of the room, where Talon was sleeping. He was a very round man with thick, bushy eyebrows and a big mustache. In the middle of the room was a wooden table with a Cucco perched on it. All his other companions were scattered all over the place, trying to escape a very frustrated Ingo. The door soon opened again and Malon entered holding a few towels and clothes.  
  
"I've got everything now!" she said. "Shall we?"  
  
She walked up the stairs to the right with Link following nearby and stepped in the next room.  
  
"This is my room," she said proudly. "You can sleep here for the night. I've got some towels and a few clothes that should fit you."  
  
She laid the stuff on her bed lying near the window.  
  
"Oh, and there's also something else. . ." She reached into her pocket and took out and object which she handed to him. "This should sooth you down. It's the best milk in all of Hyrule."  
  
Link looked closer at the object. It was a bottle filled with milk. Lon Lon Milk, to be exact. He looked up and smiled. "Thanks Malon."  
  
She smiled back and her face suddenly froze. "Oh, by the fires of Din! I completely forgot to milk the cows!" she said while slapping her forehead. "And Dad has to go deliver milk at the Castle tomorrow!"  
  
"Which is where we need to go," said Navi from his pocket.  
  
Malon stopped and looked around. "Who said that?" she asked.  
  
"Me!" said the fairy as she flew up. The ranch girl watched in amazement as the little ball of light flew up to Link's head.  
  
"So THIS is a fairy. . ." she said. "I heard her say something about going to the castle. Is that right?"  
  
"Yeah. We were going there to meet the princess."  
  
"Oh, are you? You could go there with my dad when the sun rises, if you like," she replied. "Speaking of which, I really need to get that milk. . . I'll see you later, all right?"  
  
"Okay. Thanks again."  
  
She smiled and walked out of the room. As soon as Malon closed the door behind her, Link walked to the bed and collapsed right into it, his mind spinning wildly.  
  
"What a day. . ." he moaned.  
  
Navi gently sat on his chest. "You know," she said, "what Malon said is true. That Lon Lon Milk will sooth you down. . . Try it and see." The little fairy flew up to the window before adding: "Meet me by the fence once you're dried up, alright?" and flew out of sight.  
  
Link looked over at the bottle in his hand. He slowly uncorked* it and brought it up to his mouth before drinking a few mouthfuls. To his great surprise, he felt warmth spread suddenly to the tips of his fingers and toes. He could feel the liquid spread throughout his body, massaging his muscles and cooling his mind. Wishing this soothing sensation would last, Link sat up and gave out a long sigh.  
  
"Wow. . ." he whispered.  
  
He soon rose to his feet, feeling calm and relaxed, and started to get undressed.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
" 'Lo Epona. . ."  
  
Navi quietly sat down on the mare's head. In response, the horse gently sat down on the grass and slowly lowered her head to the ground. She moaned silently.  
  
"I know you've been anxious to see him again. . . Don't worry. He'll be coming out here anytime now." She patted her head. "He won't remember you, but at least he'll meet you. . .again. But I wish he DID remember. . . If only. . ."  
  
Epona gently nodded in agreement and looked up at the sky. So did Navi. They didn't need words to speak. Their silence said it all. Not a word, not a sentence, or either a small speech. . . This one quiet moment was enough to share a lifetime of feelings. Just like this. . .  
  
"I missed you Epona. . ." the fairy finally said.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Link looked himself over. He was wearing a white shirt with blue overalls and he had kept his boots and earrings on. His hair was dry and tidy again. . . To make things short, he looked as if he had never been wet (or sick) at all. Checking that his things were neatly stacked on the table near the bed, Link headed out the door and closed it shut behind him. As he ran down the stairs, he noticed Ingo collapse to the floor and say: "I give up! Last straw! I quit!"  
  
He then noticed the young boy staring at him. "Hey you! Kid! Could you help me out here?! I'll be willing to pay you five rupees if you get the job done!"  
  
Link tucked his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "I guess. . . What would you like me to do?"  
  
The man pointed to the table where the Cuccos (two of them, now) were perched on. "See those?" he said, "These chickens are special. . . They're not normal Cuccos. I have no idea why, but that's what he told me." He jerked his head towards Talon (still sleeping). "Anyway, all you have to do is find the last one for me. Whaddya say?"  
  
The boy stared at the chickens, then back at Ingo. "But how will I recognize it? I mean, they all look the same; it's gonna be hard to tell which is which."  
  
"Ha ha ha! Yes it will!" he laughed. " The trick, is that they're afraid of heights. That's why they won't get down from the table. So! Will ya do it?"  
  
Link nodded and started chasing after the Cuccos. He was finally able to catch one, but as soon as he lifted it from the ground, the chicken began to flap its wings and to quack madly, trying to wriggle free. Avoiding its claws, Link quickly set it on the table, but it simply hopped back down to the floor, joining his other friends. The boy continued his chase but soon found himself picking the same Cucco over and over again, which caused even more confusion. On his fifth try, though, his 'prey' wouldn't seem to get down. In fact, it was shaking with fear.  
  
Ingo's eyes suddenly lit up. "A-hah! You did it! You found the last one! That was some fine work, son! Fine work indeed!" He gave him a smile revealing a gold tooth and handed him two blue rupees. "Here! Have ten rupees. You've earned them! Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got work to do," he said, giving Talon the evil eye and before he knew it, Link was shooed out of the room. It was still dark when he stepped outside. Everything was still and quiet until an alarmed yell told him that Talon had been woken up. He grinned and walked to the fence where Navi was waiting.  
  
*~~~*~~~*~~~*  
  
*Uncork: to pull the cork out of (a cork is the stopper for a bottle; some sort of lid) '-_-'  
  
Author's Notes: So there ya go! Another chapter done! Whaddya think? Horrible-Bad-Okay-Good-Great-Anything? Please tell me in your reviews! I absolutely MUST know! It might take a while 'till the next chapter comes up, so plz don't be surprised if it comes up a week after (which I'll try to avoid)! Thanks again!  
  
Ani ^_~ 


	5. Chapter 5: Hyrule Castle

Author's Notes: Alright, I am SO sorry it took so long for me to get this chapter out! But it's a bit longer than the last one, so I hope it was worth waiting for. I just hope the next chapter won't take as long. . . Thank you all so much for all the reviews! It really helped! I'll just shut up now; here's chapter 5!  
  
The Legend of Zelda:  
Fate VS Destiny  
  
Chapter 5: Hyrule Castle  
  
Link walked to the fence where Navi had been waiting. Why did Navi want to meet him there? Did she want to talk about something? As he neared closer, the little fairy noticed him and flew up to his face.  
  
"You're finally here! What took you so long?" she asked.  
  
"Trouble with the Cuccos," he replied.  
  
"Again? When will they ever learn." She told herself. "Anyway, feeling better?"  
  
"Much better," he smiled.  
  
"Good, 'cause someone's been wanting to meet you for quite some time now."  
  
Link looked past her and saw that the mare he had seen earlier was anxiously looking his way.  
  
"She's been a wreck ever since we got here!" exclaimed Navi.  
  
The horse hesitantly walked towards Link and (gently) rubbed her head against his chest. Surprised, he blinked and slowly gave her a nice pat between her ears over her white hair, wondering if he was even doing this right since this was the first time he ever came in contact with a horse (or so he thought). Epona, though, seemed quite pleased and wagged her tail like a puppy, her eyes begging for more. He patted the side of her neck and started stroking her back when he heard a voice.  
  
"I see she's grown fond of you, fairy boy."  
  
Link turned to see Malon holding an object in her hands, smiling.  
  
"She's a really beautiful horse," he said. "But this is my first time, so -"  
  
"Oh, don't worry about that," she said. "You're a natural. Besides, she seems to be enjoying herself. And that's a first with strangers. . ."  
  
It was true. Every time an unknown person shows up at the ranch, Epona would either stalk off across the yard as if she couldn't get away fast enough, or just run away when they got near. And yet, here she was, letting Link pat her and closing her eyes as if being given a massage. Pretty amazing indeed. . .  
  
"Epona must really like you - You're special. . ." she said quietly.  
  
This slightly reminded him of what Saria had said back at the Forest Meadow. //But you weren't just any Hylian. . .you. . .you're special. . .//  
  
Malon spoke again: "I don't mean to be rude. . . But, while I was taking your clothes to dry them later. . . I noticed this."  
  
She held up the object she had been holding on to. It was indeed his fairy ocarina. Link stared at the instrument, slightly surprised at first, and quickly looked back at Malon. She looked shy.  
  
"Can you play well?" she asked in a little voice.  
  
"Well. . . sorta," he said. "I'm kind of a beginner."  
  
She seemed amused and giggled. "That's okay. Would you like me to teach you a song?"  
  
He said "Sure!" without thinking about it as she handed him his ocarina and listened to her voice as she sang. It was the same song he had heard her sing when he first came here. Link followed with his instrument, making a few mistakes as he went (and quickly fixing them) and soon got it after three tries. He repeated the tune a couple of times to make sure he wouldn't forget and looked up to see Malon smiling with delight. Even Epona was tapping her foot on the ground in amusement.  
  
"Great job!" said Malon. "You really are good. My mom made this song a long time ago. Isn't it pretty?" She giggled. "She used to call it Epona's Song. I still don't know why. . ." She shrugged.  
  
Navi looked up at the moon and poked Link on the head. "It's getting late. We better go to bed if we're gonna leave early tomorrow."  
  
"Right."  
  
"I'll take Epona to the stable while you get some shut-eye," said Malon. "I'll see you in the morning."  
  
And before he knew it, Malon and Epona were already out of sight without another word. Link and Navi reentered the house and found that there was nobody inside. They strongly suspected that Ingo had taken Talon for a LONG walk. As they walked up the stairs and stepped into the room, Link felt so tired and exhausted that he fell asleep almost instantly as he got into bed.  
  
//I'm not in Lon Lon Ranch anymore. . . How can that be? I'm standing right before the gates of Hyrule Castle Town! But- how did I get here so fast? It's still nighttime, the gate's closed and the moon is halfway across the sky. Maybe I've been sleepwalking or something. . . This is completely insane. I just noticed that Navi's not with me. Probably still at the ranch, sleeping like a baby. I'd hate to think of what she'll do to me when she sees I'm not in bed. I turn around and start running north.  
  
That's odd. . . Where're all the Stalchilds? Why aren't they here? Oh well. . . I'm not complaining. Probably thought of breaking their habit for once and play cards in an underground room or something. . . Wait- Who's that up ahead? It's certainly not a Stalchild. He's wearing green. But. . . that can't be a Kokiri now, can it? I mean, none of them would even THINK of leaving the forest. Well. . . everyone besides Saria. . . But that can't be her. Looks more like a boy to me.  
  
Hang on. I recognize that hair! That's me! Same age, same hair, same clothes, same everything! It's 'other me'! I don't believe it! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! Okay, Link, deep breaths. . . Hey, whatever happened to him, he's all soaked! Looks like he's in a great hurry. He's entering Lon Lon Ranch right now. Wait a minute, that's exactly what happened to me last night. . . before I fell asleep that is. Am I going back in time? And if yes, then how in Hyrule did I do that???  
  
Oh- Wait- I know what this is. . . I'm going mental. Yep. I'm having a hallucination, that's what. Last time this happened, Navi almost lost her head trying to wake me up (I almost did, too). Well, that won't happen again! I try and pinch myself. . . But there's just one problem. I can't feel my skin. I look down and- WOAH! I'm transparent! What in the name of Nayru is going on here?! How did I do that?! Am I some sort of vision? Well, that would explain a few things, like the fact that nobody could hear or see me in my last dream. . . Weird. I guess I better do SOMETHING before-  
  
Hey, what's that noise? I turn around and stare at the gate. It's lowering. What are they doing that for? I thought the gate was always closed at night. . .Oh well. It gives me a chance to go inside and take a look, doesn't it? Oh, but something's blocking the way farther ahead. It's a horse running my way! There's a rider on it, too, but they don't seem to see me- Oh, but of course they can't, I'm invisible. But I still don't want to be run through by a horse. I try to get out of the way but-  
  
I can't! My feet are glued to the ground. They won't move. Great. Just great. Now, the horse is advancing at to speed towards me and the rider is looking back to see if anyone's following. In just about a second now, they're gonna run right through me - they won't be able to stop - they're just a foot away - I close my eyes shut - //  
  
It didn't come. . . Maybe it did. . . Link slowly opened his eyes and found himself on the bed in Malon's room. He was back in Lon Lon Ranch. Link quickly sat up and looked around. He noticed Navi sleeping on a flower in a vase that was set on the table. He found his dried clothes neatly folded on top of the shelves against the wall in front of him. Making sure that Navi was doing the Sleeping Beauty thing, he quickly got dressed and made the bed (which was a strong habit of his, being a Kokiri). Then, making sure that none of his things were missing, Link glanced out of the window. A little speck of pink could be seen across the horizon. It would soon be morning. He walked up to the table and gently shook Navi with a finger.  
  
"'S' matter?" she said groggily.  
  
"The sun's almost coming up," said Link. "We'll be leaving in a few minutes."  
  
"Look who's talkin'. . ." she mumbled.  
  
He shrugged and looked out the window again. He spotted Mr. Ingo heading towards the stable, holding a pitchfork. Navi slowly got up, rubbed her eyes, and flew next to him.  
  
"Alright. I'm ready," she said before diving back into his pocket.  
  
Trying not to think about the dream anymore, Link made his way down the stairs and out the door. Everything around him was either pink or orange; the sun was slowly rising. He looked around and saw Malon running towards him with Talon and Epona at her heels. He smiled and waved as she came to a stop.  
  
"Good morning, fairy boy," she said cheerfully.  
  
"Good morning, Malon."  
  
She beamed and her smile widened. He received a soft rub from Epona.  
  
"And good morning to you too," he laughed.  
  
Talon finally caught up to them, panting and wheezing. "Slow down, girl. . ." he gasped. " Your ol' man's not the runner he used to be. . ."  
  
Malon giggled and Link gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. He looked at Link.  
  
"Is this the young man you've been talking to me about, Malon?"  
  
"Er, yes." She gestured Link. "Dad, this is Link. Link, you've met my father, Talon; you'll be helping him deliver milk to the castle."  
  
"Attagirl," said Talon, and then turned to Link. "Well, Link, it's been a pleasure meetin' you. I'm sure you'll do a fine job, and Malon, you get the horse ready. We'll leave when the Cucco shrieks."  
  
"Yes, Daddy."  
  
With that, he turned and ran off towards the stable. Link was puzzled. Horse? What did they need a horse for? Surely they wouldn't ride one to the market, would they? He didn't know how. And for some reason, he didn't feel nervous or scared. On the contrary, he felt perfectly calm and secure. Malon took Epona's reins and headed for the exit of the ranch, Link following nearby.  
  
"Er, Malon?"  
  
"Mmm?"  
  
"Well. . . It's just that. . . I've never ridden a horse before and - well - "  
  
"You're nervous? Don't worry, I'll teach you. It's a piece of cake, really. And if things get bad, Daddy will take over."  
  
Link gulped and nodded as they made their way to the field. They stopped when they were a few yards away from the ranch.  
  
"Alright," she began. "Now, watch carefully. First, you approach your horse and hold each side of the saddle."  
  
He stepped near Epona and did as Malon said. "Like this?"  
  
"Mmm-Hmm," she nodded. "Now, place your foot in the metal triangular piece of the saddle on the sides. Yes, that one. And then, you push yourself up - that's it - and swing your free leg to the other side. There you go."  
  
Link found himself on the horse, comfortable as ever, and quite surprised with himself. Malon was glowing with pleasure.  
  
"You're starting smoothly, that's very good!" she said. "But it's the actual riding that's more of the challenge. And the trick, is to - "  
  
But she never got to finish her sentence; Epona had started giving Link a quick run around Lon Lon Ranch who, taken by surprise, was hanging onto her reins for dear life. However. . . he couldn't help thinking that this feeling, this - sensation - was so. . . interesting. . . and fun. . .  
  
Malon squinted her eyes towards the horizon in search of any signs of Link and Epona. That horse was fast, and one should expect great things from her when they least expect them. 'Poor Link,' she thought. ' He must be paralyzed in fright. I do hope he doesn't break his neck. . .' She squinted her eyes a bit more as she looked around one more time. Then, to her relief, she spotted Link riding her mare towards her - and he was laughing. An honest, amused, fun, heart-melting laugh.  
  
She stared, utterly shocked for words. Nobody had ever been able to tame Epona except her. Nobody. And yet. . .Link still found a way to win her trust. There was something about him. . . Something special. . . She couldn't help but smile as he jumped down from Epona and ran up to her, excitement written all over his face.  
  
"Did you see that?" he said cheerfully. "Did you see what I did? I can't believe - I actually - IT WAS AWESOME!!!"  
  
She giggled. "Alright, fairy boy! How would you like me to challenge you with a little obstacle course? Well, it's not really an obstacle course, just something I made up. What do you say?"  
  
Link (still smiling with excitement) shrugged and said: "I'm up for it. Sure!"  
  
He ran up to Epona and mounted the mare once again. Malon continued: "Okay. It's just like a race, basically. If you manage to complete one round around Lon Lon Ranch in less than 50 seconds. . . you can keep Epona."  
  
Link nearly fell of his horse. "What?!"  
  
"You heard me, fairy boy. Epona's all yours if you beat the corral record!"  
  
His jaw dropped. He couldn't believe it. Were his ears deceiving him? Did he hear correctly? Utterly shocked for words, he just stared with his mouth wide open, drowned in a pool of total disbelief. He realized his mouth was open and closed it quickly. He glanced at Malon. She looked serious. When he finally found his voice, he managed to say:  
  
"A- are you sure about this?"  
  
"Positive," she replied. "I can't keep Epona cooped up any longer. She needs exercise; she needs adventure. . . I'm sure you can give her all that. Besides, I can see that she likes you. A lot. And I want her to be happy."  
  
Link hesitated. "I don't know. . ." he murmured.  
  
"Oh, come ON, Link. I can tell you want that, too."  
  
He couldn't argue with that. True, after that little ride Epona gave him, he simply couldn't resist the urge of wanting to keep her. Now was his chance. . .  
  
"Alright. You're on."  
  
"Okay, then," she smiled. "Get into position. Right. Ready - Set - GO!"  
  
And with a WHOOSH, Epona broke into an amazing run with the speed of light. What a feeling - Epona turned with the lightest touch; she seemed to obey his thoughts rather than his grip; Link could feel the wind playing with his hair as she sped faster; he could hear Malon cheering; she seemed so far away. . .  
  
There was the finish line - Just a few more yards to go - almost there - and -  
  
"OH - MY - GOSH! 35 seconds! 35 SECONDS, Link!! No one has ever been able to go THIS far! I can't believe it! You did it! YOU DID IT!" she shrieked, dancing up and down in total happiness.  
  
Epona came to a stop and patted the ground with her hooves, while bowing her head, obviously pleased with herself. Then, they heard the shriek of a Cucco and Link only now realized that the sun had fully risen and was now shining in the bright blue sky.  
  
"That's my cue," said Malon happily. "Better get started with work or Ingo will be after my blood." She turned to Link. "Well, fairy boy, I hope you'll find what you're looking for, and I wish you the best of luck. Epona, you behave yourself, okay girl?" The mare bowed her head twice, and Malon smiled. "Good. I'll go get Dad. Good-bye then!"  
  
"Good-bye, Malon! Thank you so much for everything!"  
  
With one last smile, the ranch girl turned and ran towards the ranch. Navi poked her head out of his pocket.  
  
"Congratulations, Link! Now, we won't have to worry about losing our time in the fields anymore!"  
  
"I can't believe it . . . " he muttered happily while patting his new mare. "I just can't believe it . . . "  
  
"Ah, maboy!"  
  
He turned to see Talon walking his way holding a huge box with the picture of a cow on it. A small swish told him Navi had dived back into his pocket again.  
  
"Are we ready to go, son?" said Talon.  
  
"All set, sir," said Link.  
  
"Alrighty then! Let's get going!"  
  
He handed Link the crate, which was quite heavy, as he took a seat behind him (with great difficulty) and they were off. As they sped up towards the gate, Talon said: "Well done for winning the horse. Malon told me all about it. You wouldn't believe how excited she was!"  
  
"Er, thank you."  
  
"Oh, look! There's one now!"  
  
As Epona galloped, they passed a horse running the way opposite them. There was a rider on it, too. Link quickly turned to look back at it. It looked exactly like the one in his dream . . .  
  
"Talon," he said looking back in front of him. "Was that horse one of yours?" He pointed at the stallion they just passed. Talon shrugged.  
  
"Beats me."  
  
Epona soon came to a stop before the bridge and Talon and Link dismounted.  
  
"Well, here we are," said Talon as Link lifted the box. "Don't worry about Epona. She won't go anywhere."  
  
He followed Talon through the bridge and they were soon greeted by a guard ("Welcome to Huryle Castle Town Market!") before entering the Market. Link wished he had about ten more eyes. He turned his head in every direction as they walked up the alley, trying to look at everything at once. There were shops selling weird instruments and equipment Link had never seen before; The Happy Mask Shop; The Shooting Gallery; Bazaar; Potion Shops . . .  
  
They had reached a narrow path that opened suddenly onto the edge of a very high gate guarded by a soldier.  
  
"Ahoy there!" said Talon.  
  
The guard saw him and waved. "Good morning, Talon," he greeted. "Is this sprite coming with ya?"  
  
"You bet he is," said Talon, clapping his hand on Link's shoulder.  
  
"Alright."  
  
He tapped the ground with the end of his spear and the gate slid open. Talon thanked him as they stepped through the archway. Link heard the gate slide back into position behind him. They made their way up the road while being greeted by a few guards as they went, until Talon stopped and said:  
  
"Hyrule Castle."  
  
Link nearly dropped the box he had been carrying, which might have shattered the numerous bottles he suspected were inside it. They stood before a snowy white castle with many turrets and towers, its multi-colored glass windows glittering in the sunshine. It was perched on a plain grassy field on the other side of a sparkling blue river. His mind snap back to reality as yet another guard lowered the bridge for them to pass and they walked into the great mansion.  
  
(A/N: Warning. I am not that good at picturing the insides of castles. So if this isn't what you had in mind or if this doesn't satisfy you, please forgive my unimaginative mind. I'm not that good at cooperating with imagination . . . )  
  
The entrance hall was HUGE, lit by flaming torches on the stone walls, accompanied by dozens of colorful portraits and diagonally tilted flags. A magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.  
  
"Now, mind your manners, Link," whispered Talon as they walked up the hall. "I've heard the Queen can turn pretty nasty when she's in a bad mood. She is very stern, mind, and is not someone to cross."  
  
Link nodded and followed him up the stairs. If he had thought that the castle was wonderful, it was nothing compared to this room. The ceiling had been painted blue, purple and pink to make it look like the sky when the sun was setting, and in the middle was a gold, triangular insignia. The Triforce. Soldiers in purple armor stood guard next to the walls on either side of them, with lit windows all along them. Up ahead were three great statues; Link recognized them at once. They were Din, the goddess of Power, Nayru, the goddess of Wisdom, and Farore, the goddess of Courage. Nayru stood to the left, Din in the middle, and Farore to the left, each standing behind a high chair. Two of them were empty and unoccupied, but sitting on the chair to the right, wearing a blue silk dress, her hair tied up in a tight bun, was-  
  
"Your Majesty," said Talon as he bowed before the Queen (Link followed suit).  
  
"Ah yes," she said. "I have been expecting you, Talon."  
  
She waved for a soldier to take the large crate from Link, who was utterly relieved. The box had been heavy. The Queen stood up (quite graciously), walked up to Talon and gave him a purple rupee.  
  
"Here. 50 rupees, as you requested." This brought her attention to Link. "And this boy -?"  
  
" - has been wanting to have a few words with you, your Majesty," Talon said, bowing once again. "If it hadn't been for him, I would have never gotten here this fast. Please listen to what he has to say."  
  
She frowned for a while, thinking it over, and finally said: "Alright, I shall listen. You are dismissed."  
  
Talon bowed one last time and turned to Link. "Well, son, thanks a lot for all the help, and I hope you'll come visit us sometime at the ranch!" He clapped his hand on his shoulder. "I'll see you around!"  
  
Link watched as he disappeared down the stairs.  
  
"Now," said the Queen. "What is it you have been wanting to tell me?"  
  
"Oh, er," he said, carefully choosing his words. "Actually, your Highness, I have been wanting to talk to your daughter, the Princess."  
  
She gave him a suspicious look. "If that is what you want, then you wasted your time," she said as she counted her rupees. "If you want, I can give you - "  
  
"No, I don't want money. I just want to talk to the Princess," said Link.  
  
He could see the guards reaching for their swords at that moment, but he didn't care.  
  
"The Princess isn't here," she snap. "You shall go now."  
  
Link gave a short bow and made his way out of the castle.  
  
"How arrogant!" squeaked Navi from his pocket. "We just wanted to talk to the Princess! That's no crime!"  
  
"Shh! Keep it down or somebody'll hear us!"  
  
"Then let them hear me! I don't care! I'll show her - Hey!"  
  
Link had pushed her head back inside his pocket so she wouldn't be heard. As he walked through the archway, Link saw the soldier that had greeted them earlier and a sudden thought hit him. He walked up to the guard.  
  
"Excuse me," he said.  
  
"Oh, hello," said the soldier. "You're a friend of Talon's aren't you? What can I do for you?"  
  
"Well, I've been wondering . . . Where is the King?" asked Link.  
  
If the guard hadn't been wearing his helmet, he would have revealed a sad face. "The King . . . is ill. He's been sick for a few weeks now . . . "  
  
"What's wrong with him?"  
  
"Nobody knows. He's not in condition to tell anyone anything. And not even our wisest men can find the right remedies. It's very depressing . . . " He sighed. "Anything else you'd like to know?"  
  
Link thought for a moment. "Um . . . yes. Do you know where the Princess is? The way the Queen said it, you'd think she wasn't in the castle at all."  
  
"That's . . . because she isn't."  
  
Link stared.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Haven't you heard?" he said, sounding both concerned and worried. "Our precious Princess is missing."  
  
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*  
  
Author's Notes: CLIFFHANGER! HA HA! Just kidding. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed chapter 5, and PLEASE review. And if you do, I'll try and put up the next chapter as soon as possible. And believe me, that may be sooner than you think . . .  
  
Ani ~_^ 


	6. Chapter 6: Meetings

Author's Notes: Hello! Thank you all for the reviews! This chapter isn't as long as the last one, but it's still long! No more author's notes until after the chapters, now. Well, enjoy!  
  
The Legend of Zelda:  
Fate VS Destiny  
  
Chapter 6: Meetings  
  
Link stood rooted there on the spot, thunderstruck.  
  
"What?!" he demanded.  
  
"She's gone. Disappeared. Vanished without a trace," said the guard desperately.  
  
Link refused to believe his ears. Not now . . . Oh, why did it have to be now . . . ?  
  
"When did that happen?" he said.  
  
The guard shrugged. "Search me. From what I've heard, it happened last night, not too long after the moon rose. Oh, and her horse went missing, too." He sighed and looked at him (or at least, he thought he did; it was hard to tell with that helmet). "Listen, I don't mean to sound rude or anything, but I'm kinda busy right now, and . . . well . . . "  
  
"Huh? Oh, yeah. Sure. Sorry," Link said.  
  
He knew that the soldier wasn't being truthful (there wasn't anybody else around), just a bit overemotional with the previous events. So he thanked him and entered the Market. Navi flew out of his pocket.  
  
"Now what?" she asked.  
  
"We're gonna get as much information as we can," he responded.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Link started his investigation by asking people around if they've seen anything the night before. However, he would get the same replies:  
  
"No. Sorry."  
  
"Didn't see a thing!"  
  
"Why would I be hanging around in the dead of night?"  
  
"Sorry, I didn't see anything suspicious last night."  
  
And so on . . . He was even desperate enough to ask a nine-year-old girl holding a Cucco, even though he knew the answer. He was exhausted.  
  
"Navi, this is hopeless . . . We'll never get through this . . . " he said.  
  
"Don't give up, Link!" said Navi. "We'll find her! All we need to do is ask the right people. You know, the ones that are bold enough to hand out in the middle of the night just like you!"  
  
Link groaned.  
  
"Come on, Link," she said. "I'll help you."  
  
She flew near the fountain in the middle of the Market with Link following nearby (slowly), and led him near a tree where two men were chatting. They looked almost identical. One of them, who was wearing a red shirt, was laughing his head off and the one wearing a blue one looked pretty annoyed.  
  
"These two always tend to give away unwanted information whether they want to or not," whispered Navi. "Come and listen, Link. Things are getting interesting."  
  
Link hesitated, and then slowly walked closer and listened carefully. Although the sounds were a bit blurry, he could make out what they were saying.  
  
"WHAT?!" yelled the red guy. "What were you thinking, hanging around at night, huh?!"  
  
"I told you," said his friend desperately. "I lost a bet and my friends decided to punish me by giving me a Dare."  
  
"They dared you to play Sand Man at midnight?" he said with a giggly voice.  
  
"No. They dared me to stay, hanging on a tree - this tree, actually - until they were satisfied, which was after passed 3 in the morning."  
  
The guy in the red shirt suddenly burst out laughing.  
  
"Wha-ha-ha! And you accepted? You actually did? Ha ha ha! You have GOT to be the craziest guy I know! Wha-ha-ha!"  
  
His friend was growing nervous for some reason.  
  
"Yes, but that's not the point! See, I saw someone leave Hyrule Castle Town last night!"  
  
The man suddenly stopped his laughing and replaced it by a very serious look. "You sure you weren't dreaming?"  
  
"I'm positive."  
  
The man in red started pacing around in circles with his arms behind his back, thinking carefully, until he stopped and said, "Do you think it could have been the kidnapper? I mean, it DID happen last night, you know."  
  
Link's heart skipped a beat. He leaned closer, not wanting to miss anything.  
  
"No," replied the guy in blue. "There was only one person wearing a dark cape with a hood, so I couldn't tell if it was a boy or a girl . . . "  
  
"But the gate's always closed at night! There's no way the guy could have left without ending up in a dead-end!"  
  
"You're not listening to me!" his friend said desperately. "This - person - just popped out of nowhere with a brown horse - a stallion, I think - ; the gate lowered and the guy escaped on horseback!"  
  
His friend burst out laughing again.  
  
"Wha-ha-ha! Hallucinations! You've been having hallucinations again! You should seriously see a doctor about this. A horse and a person wearing a cape. Honestly! Now, I've heard it all! Wha-ha-ha!"  
  
Link backed away slowly. This was all the information he needed. A person leaving Hyrule Castle Town on horseback in the middle of the night . . . That was just like his dream! And what did the guard say? //Her horse went missing, too. // A sudden bolt of excitement ran through his body. That dream . . . It hadn't been a dream at all! It had been a vision! And that meant -  
  
"Navi," he said. "The Princess didn't get kidnapped . . . She ran away!"  
  
The fairy stared for a moment. "What?"  
  
"The Princess, she ran away! Listen - I had a vision last night and I saw her escape town! And remember that horse and rider we passed this morning? That was her!"  
  
"Link," said Navi. "Are you sure you're not making this up?"  
  
"No," confessed Link. "But I have a feeling I'm right about this one."  
  
Navi flew around in circles, thinking this over. Suddenly, her eyes grew very round.  
  
"But Link, if it's all true . . . She could be anywhere by now!"  
  
"His heart dropped and felt as if he had stepped into an icy shower. "You're right," he confirmed. " We'll have to get some supplies . . . "  
  
"You're not thinking, Link! You don't have any money!"  
  
He opened his mouth (to tell her he had 10 rupees) but closed it. She was right; with the money he had, he wasn't close to buying much.  
  
"Do you think I should go back and tell the Queen I've changed my mind about her money offer?" he asked.  
  
She shook her head. "Nah. I have a better idea. Follow me."  
  
Navi led him near the entrance to Hyrule Field and pointed to his left where he saw a tiny wooden door he hadn't noticed before.  
  
"Have fun!" she cheered before diving back into his pocket.  
  
Link slowly walked to the door and opened it. His jaw fell.  
  
Jars.  
  
Everywhere. On the floor; on the stairs; on the steps; under the table; on top of the table; everywhere! He was too shocked for happiness, and he couldn't help but grin. The next thing he knew, Link was smashing and breaking jars everywhere and picking the money that fell out of them. He had done this many times before, in the Kokiri Forest; it was fun. The jars kept refilling themselves after every take and he would smash them away as he pleased. Before he knew it, his moneybag was full and he was carrying more rupees than he could count. He walked out of the room and headed for the Market once again, clutching his 'wallet' from time to time (hoping it wouldn't disappear).  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Link left Hyrule Castle Town equipped with his new Hylian Shield (a dark blue shield with silvery edges, a red bird-like figure in the middle, an upside down, yellow triangle beneath it, and the picture of the Triforce on top of it), his new sword (bronze handle with hard, resistant and deadly blade), his refilled Bomb Bag (a product from certain creatures called Gorons; he couldn't remember how he had gotten those in the first place), his bottles were filled with red potions and holding fairy spirits (there were a lot of those underneath a hole in the Forest Meadow), and Navi was snoozing peacefully under his new hat (exactly the same as the last one).  
  
Just like Talon said, Epona didn't go anywhere and Link gave her a few carrots to munch. He was wondering where on earth he would go if he were a runaway princess when he heard a soft hoot ahead of him.  
  
"Link . . . Look up here!"  
  
He looked up and saw a huge brown owl perched on a tree branch nearby, staring at him with big, black eyes.  
  
"Hello, Link. Hoot hoot," the owl said. "It has been a while since I last saw you . . . Four years, in fact . . . I must say, you have grown into a fine young man. Hoo."  
  
Link just stared in complete shock and amazement. This owl could talk?! No, that couldn't be . . .  
  
"I believe that you are searching for the Princess? Hoot" the owl continued.  
  
Link, who couldn't find his voice, nodded slowly, even more shocked.  
  
"I see . . . Here. I have something for you. If you get lost somewhere in Hyrule, I'm sure this Map will be helpful. Hoot hoot"  
  
He reached under his wing (with his beak) and pulled out a neatly rolled piece of parchment which he dropped at Link's feet.  
  
"The Princess is headed for the forest. You might want to catch up with her. Farewell, Link . . . And good luck. Hoo hoo hoot!"  
  
With that said, the huge bird soared into the sky and flew out of sight before Link could say anything else. Navi popped out of his hat.  
  
"Is it time to go yet?" she asked.  
  
Instead of answering, he bent down, picked up the parchment and slowly unrolled it. It was indeed the Map of Hyrule. Up North were 'Hyrule Castle Town' followed by 'Kakariko Village' and 'Death Mountain'. To the East was a place called 'Zora's Domain' with the 'Kokiri Forest' right under it. Going South is 'Lake Hylia' and the 'Gerudo Valley' to the West. A tiny circle labelled 'Lon Lon Ranch' stood in the middle right next to the words 'Hyrule Field'. Navi leaned forward.  
  
"Cool map. Where'd you get it?"  
  
Link tore his eyes off the parchment and looked up. When he finally found his voice, he said: "And owl gave it to me."  
  
"Oh, him. He's okay. Kind of a blabber-mouth but always has some useful - "  
  
"Wait. You actually believe me?" he asked.  
  
Navi shrugged. "Of course I believe you. It's not the first time I see that bird around." But before he could say anything to that, she shook her head. "That's not important right now, Link. We have to go back to Kokiri Forest."  
  
"Right," he mumbled.  
  
He rolled up the map and put it in one of his pouches; as soon as Navi was back in his hat, he mounted Epona and sped up to the East.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The sun was halfway across the sky now, and Link and Epona were edging closer towards his home. Suddenly, the mare stopped dead in her tracks a few yards away from the entrance.  
  
"What is it? Why did we stop?" piped Navi.  
  
"Shh! Be quiet!" he urged in a hushed tone. He quietly dismounted and squinted his eyes forward. He could see figures ahead. Link walked closer with Navi fluttering behind and hid behind a tree to get a closer look. Right by the entrance stood a light brown stallion with long, jet-black hair. The boy leaned closer. The horse was being petted by a figure wearing a chocolate brown cape. No dough about it: that was definitely her.  
  
Without even thinking, Link walked closer (making sure he didn't step on any twigs or leaves), but before he could open his mouth, the girl reached inside he cape and whirled around to face him, revealing a bow and an arrow aimed straight at him. She was shaking slightly, but her aim was set. So was her voice.  
  
"Who are you?" she demanded.  
  
Link blinked in surprise and quickly brought his hands up, like a criminal who had just been caught by a guard.  
  
"Hey, woaw! Easy there! I'm no bad guy (at least I don't look like one)! I'm not gonna hurt you or anything. Honest."  
  
The girl gave him a long, searching look. Her hood was hiding her face. Navi flew up to her face, suddenly illuminating it.  
  
"He's right, you know," she said. "He won't do any harm. So please don't hurt him!"  
  
She just stared in awe as the fairy flew around in tiny circles. The girl looked like a child admiring a new doll. Finally, she lowered her bow and put it away.  
  
"You know," said Navi. "You look nothing like your mother."  
  
She frowned. "My mother?"  
  
"The Queen, of course!" said Navi.  
  
The Princess looked at Link in horror. "How - how did she . . . ?"  
  
"I - it's a long story . . . " he said. "And besides, you wouldn't believe me if I told you."  
  
She smirked.  
  
"Try me."  
  
"I'd rather not, your Maj - "  
  
"Oh, please," she said, shaking her head. "Don't get started with the 'royalty' business. We've only just met! I mean, I think we did . . . "  
  
There was a slight pause. She then reached up and lowered her hood, revealing bright, golden hair and a pair of amazing lilac eyes. Navi was right: she didn't look a thing like her mother, who turned out to be a brunette.  
  
"Who are you, anyway?" she asked kindly.  
  
He extended his hand towards her.  
  
"I'm Link. What's your name?"  
  
She looked at his hand for a moment and hesitated. Then, slowly, she shook it with her own and smiled.  
  
"My name's Zelda."  
  
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*  
  
Author's Notes: End of chapter 6! I really hope you liked it! Now, my fingers hurt . . . Anyway, PPLLLEEEEAAAAASSSEEE review!!!!!!  
  
He he! Ciao!  
  
Ani ~_^ 


	7. Chapter 7: Princess Zelda's Tale

Hey guys! Just wanted to say: Sorry for the long wait and I hope that this chapter's worth it. Enjoy!  
  
The Legend of Zelda:  
Fate VS Destiny  
  
Chapter 7: Princess Zelda's Tale  
  
~  
  
"So, where do you come from, Link?" Zelda asked interested.  
  
"Well, I've been raised right there, actually. In the forest, with all the Kokiris," he replied.  
  
She frowned slightly. "What is a Kokiri?" she said.  
  
"They're children that live in the forest," said Link.  
  
She raised her eyebrows. "Do we get to see them much?"  
  
Navi flew up. "Chances are very thin, Princess," she said. "They only come out when they really need to, only to go back again."  
  
"Really? Why?"  
  
"They're children and they stay that way. If they try to leave for good, they'll last only a few years before they die, so they don't come out much. That's why nobody knows much about them."  
  
The Princess was dumbstruck. "For real? Gee, that's no fun, is it? I'm not even allowed to leave the castle walls . . . But then, if it's true, then why are YOU here?"  
  
He stared at the ground. " Um . . . That would be . . . because I'm Hylian . . . "  
  
"Oh." She shook her head and decided to let it drop. "So, these -Kokiri- is it true that they have fairies? I've heard many rumors about them."  
  
Link grinned. "Yeah, it's true alright. But since this fat ball of light you see here wasn't good enough for any of my friends, she's stuck with me."  
  
"Hey!" Navi poked his head.  
  
Zelda giggled. "A fairy partner, I guess. What's your name?"  
  
Navi straightened herself up (in midair) and said in this proud voice, "My name is Navi. And I'm not as small as I look. Just judge me by my smarts instead of my size!"  
  
"I - I'll think about it," she said with this funny look on her face.  
  
Link snorted. "Yeah right. Your brain's smaller than a Deku Seed. I'd say you're enormous compared to that."  
  
Navi started glowing a deep pink color. "Oh, really. And I bet yours isn't any bigger! You don't even know how to use a bow and arrow!"  
  
He gave her the evil eye. "Navi . . . I don't HAVE a bow and arrow. Besides, I'm sure Zelda could teach me and then we'll see who knows what."  
  
The fairy gave the Princess a sideway glance, who was trying hard not to laugh. "Then I don't suppose you could use a hookshot, in that case - "  
  
"Hey! Woaw! Calm down, Navi. This is no foreign-language plane, so can we please come back to reality? I've never used a hookshot in my entire life! I don't even know what that is!"  
  
"And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen!" said the fairy triumphantly. "Stupidity for you, in the flesh!"  
  
Link stared at her for a moment. "Navi, someday, I'll stuff you inside a bottle and I won't let you out until a certain two-legged creature called 'man' will sprout wings and fly."  
  
The little fairy laughed. "We'll see about that!"  
  
Then, she disappeared through the entrance to the forest. Zelda couldn't take it anymore and burst out laughing.  
  
"You guys are hilarious!" she said between laughs. "Where do you get all your ideas?"  
  
He shrugged. "I don't know. I guess that's the way we are."  
  
She quickly calmed down. "Is she always like that?"  
  
"Most of the time. But she always gets over it quickly," he replied.  
  
They stared at each other for a while, and she looked down. "Then . . . "she said slowly. "If you have a fairy . . . that means . . . you have a horse, too . . . A big, red one . . . Right?" she added, as if not wanting to sound too crazy.  
  
He blinked. "I have a wha - " He paused and his eyes grew wide. "Oh! I almost forgot!"  
  
He turned around and dashed off towards the fields, leaving the Princess looking surprised, and soon returned with a flaming red mare with pearly white hair galloping by his side.  
  
"Sorry for running off like that," he said as he ran up to her. "Princess, I'd like to introduce you to my mare, Epona."  
  
Zelda looked triumphant. "Ah, I've heard of her before. They say she's very hard to tame!"  
  
Link scratched the back of his head and grinned. "Yeah. Well, everyone besides me and a girl named Malon, for all I know . . . "  
  
She looked at him, amazed. "Wow . . . You must be an expert around horses!"  
  
"Um . . . Actually . . . This is . . . my first time and . . . um . . . "  
  
Zelda's jaw dropped completely. "You're kidding! You - you can't be serious! It took me over a year to get to know D - " She paused and blinked. "Oh, I didn't introduce you to my own horse, did I?"  
  
She walked over to the stallion that had been standing next to her the whole time and patted his nose. "Link," she said. "This is Demon (A/N: I swear to you guys that I didn't steal the name from anywhere! At first, it would have been Diablo, but then I thought I'd be stealing the name of the game, and then it was Devil, and then Demon. I didn't take it from anywhere!). I mean, sure, he's probably not the 'appropriate' type for a Princess -you know, snowy white fur and everything- but he's perfect for me! We grew up together at the castle."  
  
Link knew what she meant. Chocolate brown fur with jet-black hair, the stallion stood proudly by his master, eyeing Epona with interest.  
  
"How did you know?"  
  
She stared. "What?"  
  
"How did you know that I have a horse?"  
  
An odd, closed expression appeared on her face. She continued to stare at him. Link had the impression that she was doing some very quick thinking.  
  
"I saw you ride her this morning," she said, "towards Hyrule Castle Town Market."  
  
Link looked thoughtful. "Maybe . . . " he said slowly. "But Navi was inside my pocket at that time, so you couldn't have seen her. So whaddya mean by 'If you have a fairy, that means you have a horse, too'?"  
  
He stood there, amazed by his own brilliance, and watched Zelda watch him. She bit her lower lip and sighed.  
  
"OK, OK. You win."  
  
The young Princess walked around in circles for a while, mumbling things to herself. Link caught a few words, like: "crazy" and "lunatic". She soon stopped and looked at him.  
  
"I . . . I had a dream about you . . . More of a prophecy, actually . . . I don't know how to explain it. In my dream, you . . . emerged from the forest riding a horse. I couldn't really see, my visions always tend to be blurry . . . There was also a strange ball of light flying around next to you. And when I saw you fairy earlier -Navi, is it?- . . . I . . . knew it had to be you . . . "  
  
She swallowed and watched him, eager for an answer. Link could only stare. He couldn't believe it! HE COULDN'T BELIEVE IT! This whole time, when he thought he'd been having hallucinations or he thought he'd been hit hard on the head by something, there had been someone else experiencing these same visions! And it was the PRINCESS! Unbelievable. Completely astounding. Seeing the look of complete shock written all over his face, Zelda couldn't take it anymore.  
  
"I know, I know," she said all of a sudden. "People say, that I'm a complete lunatic and I bet you're thinking that I must be crazy and stupid, but I'm telling you! It's the truth!"  
  
"I never said I didn't believe you," he said simply.  
  
The Princess blinked; she could feel the color rising in her face. "You . . . you believe me?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah . . . Yeah, I guess I do. Because . . . I had a vision, too. I saw you escape Hyrule Castle Town Market . . . " He watched in amusement as her face turned from blank to a total lack of shock and disbelief.  
  
He just keeps amazing her every second! Are all Hylians like that? Were they all funny, nice and respectful? 'If so,' she thought. 'I should definitely run away more often.'  
  
"So . . . I guess that's how you found me," she said in a quiet voice.  
  
Link blinked and snapped back to reality where the REAL question was -  
  
"Why did you run away?"  
  
His tone was serious. The Princess blinked and her face suddenly showed and expression he couldn't quite read. Was that - worry? Fright? He couldn't tell. Besides, you never know with royalty . . .  
  
Zelda pondered what he said. Should she tell him? Should she walk away and continue her little 'mission' solo?  
  
'You're not even supposed to be 'chatting' with him in the first place!' part of her mind told her. 'What if he's part of the 'trouble' that got you into this quest, huh? C'mon! You know better than that!'  
  
'Shaddup!' the other part said. 'I, for one, think he's really sweet. My new friend! You don't get ANY of them at the castle! I'm finally meeting my first and (probably) only friend and you're telling me to walk away? Ha! In your dreams!'  
  
'But what if all this was a trap?'  
  
'What if it wasn't? Besides, it's not for nothing he appeared in your dream. Trust him. Maybe he can help you . . . '  
  
At long last she made up her mind; she sat down against a tree nearby and ran her fingers through her long golden hair. Link sat across her.  
  
"Alright," she sighed. "But I'm warning you: I am NOT good at storytelling, so here it goes . . . " She paused and ran her fingers through her hair again. "I guess it all starts . . . with a creature called Moblin. Never heard of them, huh? You won't like them. They've got such a temper! Bad attitude, too. Anyway, they're these giant pig-like monsters armed with very resistant spears. But they're nothing compared to their leader. He's the biggest of the lot -a Giant Moblin, I think- wearing twice the amount of armor his companions do and always carrying this huge heavy club with him. One day, they arrived at the castle, requesting an audience with my father. I don't know how they could have just waltzed into the room, but I strongly suspect that they forced their way in there. Luckily, I've been getting prophecies about their arrival, so I was able to skip my training sessions that day and watch their meeting in secret."  
  
Link nodded and told her to go on. Then, something kept tugging the back of his mind . . . Training sessions?!  
  
The Princess continued. "Right. So I spied through a window outside (an old habit of mine) and watched him 'chat' with their leader. Although I could barely hear what they were saying, I did catch a few words. From what I heard, they've been wanting something from him. But my dad refused for some reason, and ordered them to go. The Moblins were very mad, though, and kept threatening him in many ways. At first, it was blackmail. We ignored them. Then, they would use unusual magic to transport horrible things to the castle. I know because I've been secretly learning magic, but don't tell anyone. Anyway, once, I found a bloody dagger under my pillow . . . It was NOT a pretty sight."  
  
Link's head was swimming. Magic Lessons?! HER?!  
  
"But, one day, they eventually came back, and this time, I was there, hiding. They threatened him more than ever, cursing and swearing badly. But my father would still not give them what they want."  
  
"Well, what DO they want?" he asked.  
  
Zelda tapped her chin with her finger and thought. "I have no idea," she said slowly. "These Moblins never make themselves clear. All they kept saying was 'Hand IT over, Nohansen!' or 'It's time, Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule. Give IT to us!' But Daddy really seemed to know what 'IT' was, though."  
  
"Sooooo, what happened?"  
  
She bit her lip. "He . . . fell ill the next day . . . and . . . no one was able to cure him . . . Even the Potion Shop owner could do nothing about it. Mother would have known what to do . . . If only she didn't pass away ten years ago, when I was five . . . And now, this Know-It-All b - . . . um . . . well, my stepmother is taking over now. We would have sent troops to this village -Kakariko, I think- but the Moblins kept coming almost everyday and we need as much protection as possible . . . They . . . can be pretty -aggressive- sometimes . . . "  
  
She swallowed hard and Link could see streaks of sweat in her face. He decided best not to think about what might have happened back then.  
  
"People were too scared to go to Kakariko Village in fright that the Moblins would come, and therefore couldn't ask for help," she said. "So I decided to do this my own way, last night. I laid the dagger the Moblins 'sent' me on my bed and broke my bedroom window, making everyone believe that I had been kidnapped by one or something. I took a cape to blend in with the shadows at night, and I took my arrows, quiver and bow (I'm very good at archery, it's part of my training). Anyway, like the Moblins, the guards patrolling the inner areas of the castle can't see very well (thanks to their helmets). But I couldn't stun them, it would have attracted too much attention since it was heavily guarded (as usual) and I wouldn't have found a way out. Besides, after all the racket I made for breaking the glass, they were already heading towards my room. So I hid in the shadows until all of them were gone and used a quick spell to open locked doors and finally lower the gate leading out of the castle. Of course, there were guards patrolling OUTSIDE, too. So before they could see me, I knocked them unconscious with my well-aimed arrows!"  
  
Seeing the look of horror on Link's face, she added, "I was aiming for their helmets!" This seemed to calm him down, so she kept going.  
  
"Anyway, I sneaked into the royal stables and with my horse (and proper usage of magic and spells), we escaped town. When we reached Kakariko Village, I started my search right away, asking people if they knew anybody well known for medicines or potions (I didn't want to sound too suspicious). It all led to an old hag living with her cat. She said she would have been able to help me . . . if only she had this 'missing ingredient'. From what she told me, it's supposed to be this weird, smelly item or something from the forest. So I slept in the village that night and ended up with another prophecy. The one you were in, actually. In my dream, this green light shot out of the forest and turned into a horse and rider, followed by a fairy. The rider jumped down from his horse and held out a red mushroom. I realized that this mushroom must be the missing ingredient. So that's why I'm here now . . . "  
  
Link nodded.  
  
Wow.  
  
And all this happened while he was inside his tree-house?! He quickly stood up and Zelda, surprised by his sudden reaction, followed suit. They stared at each other for a while.  
  
"Will you help me?" she asked.  
  
"I will."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The pair soon crossed the wooden bridge and entered Kokiri Forest. But before either of them could take a step forward -  
  
"Link! Oh, Link, you're back!!"  
  
A little girl with short green hair wearing a blouse with a sleeveless shirt over it, knee-length boots and shorts (all green, just like Link's tunic and hat) came dashing out of nowhere and greeted Link with a fierce hug.  
  
" . . . can't . . . breathe . . . !" he choked.  
  
He was indeed turning crimson. The girl let go and beamed up at him. Zelda noticed a light pink fairy hovering over the girl's head. So this was a Kokiri . . .  
  
The girl smiled. "I'm so happy to see you again! You're back so soon! When I saw Navi flying nearby a while ago, I just KNEW you'd come! You still have the ocarina I gave you, right?"  
  
He laughed and patted his pouch. "Don't worry. It's safe with me!" He turned to the Princess. "This is my best friend Saria. We've known each other ever since we were born. Ever since I was born, actually . . . Saria, this is - "  
  
"Zelda," she said. There was a strange sparkle in her eyes. "It's a pleasure to meet you your Highness. The Great Deku Tree told us a lot about you." She quickly added, seeing the look of total shock on her face.  
  
Link could only stare. True, the Great Deku Tree HAD told them many stories before, but none of them had been about Zelda . . . Was it just him or was Saria hiding something?  
  
The Princess gave her a smile. "O. Well, in that case, it's a pleasure to meet you too, Saria."  
  
The little Kokiri smiled back and said, "You guys can come over to my house and you can tell me everything that's happened. Come on!"  
  
She led them down the path that led deeper into the village. Zelda hoped her eyes weren't deceiving her. By the love of Nayru, this place was amazing! Children everywhere were chasing fireflies, playing games, or laughing with their friends and fairies. Small huts have been built out of tree trunks accompanied by small flower, weed and/or rock gardens, showing off their natural beauty. Small streams expanded throughout the forest toward the large trees surrounding the village. And this whole time, she had been missing all of this and being cooped up in the castle!  
  
The Kokiris were very surprised to see a Hylian (excluding Link) enter the forest. Before they knew it, all of the children had encircled the pair and were drowning them with questions and comments (even the shop owners joined in).  
  
"Great! A Hylian! She's just as tall as you, Link!"  
  
"Oooo! She's sooooo pretty!"  
  
"We've been looking all over for you, Link! Where'd you go?"  
  
"Is it true that you left, Link? Did you get to see all of Hyrule?"  
  
"So, you're a Hylian, too. Were you gonna tell us sooner or later or were we supposed to guess?"  
  
But thankfully, Saria was able to pull them away from the crowd and urge them inside her house where Navi was waiting. As soon as they entered, she flew up to them.  
  
"You're finally here! What took you so long?!" Suddenly, this suspicious yet amused look appeared on her miniature face. "You guys weren't . . . flirting with each other, were you?"  
  
"WHAT?!" Link bellowed, turning a very deep red. He almost looked like a tomato with a bad sunburn. "WHAT IN DIN'S NAME ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!!!"  
  
"Uh-Huh," she said slowly. Obviously, she wasn't convinced.  
  
Link quickly searched his numerous pouches muttering something about a bottle.  
  
The fairy read his mind. "Sorry to disappoint you, but your bottles are all full!" she said cheerfully.  
  
He cursed under his breath.  
  
"You guys! This is hardly the time to fight . . . again," said Zelda.  
  
"Yeah!" said Saria. "And besides, weren't you going to tell us why you came back? And why did you bring the Princess with you? The Princess! Of all people! No offense or anything, Zelda," she added to the Hylian girl.  
  
Zelda smiled. "That's okay."  
  
Link had just caught a wrestling Navi by her wings and tucked her back under his hat (making sure she wouldn't escape this time) and sat on a bench. Saria and Zelda sat down on the bed.  
  
"Fact is," he said. "I didn't bring her here. She came here on her own." He jerked his head towards the Princess and seeing the look of astonishment on his friend's face, he added, "Guess I better start from the beginning . . . "  
  
And he told her. He told her how they had arrived too late to the gate and decided to sleep at Lon Lon Ranch; he told her all about Talon, Mr. Ingo, and Malon; he told her about his dream, about Epona, and about their race; he told her all about his meeting with the Queen (Zelda was trying to hide her embarrassment at that point); he told her how he figured that the Princess had run away and how he caught up with her.  
  
To make things short, he explained everything except why he had been looking for Zelda in the first place. Saria frowned and looked at her.  
  
"But why did you run away?"  
  
And now, it was Zelda's turn to tell her story. Saria and Navi (still under his hat) listened intently to her tale. Link, however, was searching his mind. He still hadn't told the Princess about his own quest. She didn't know that the reason he had been searching for her in the first place was that only she knew of the Oracle's whereabouts. How would he break it to her? Saria, on the other hand, seemed to notice (so did Navi) and said,  
  
"After all you've dealt with, you two MUST be hungry."  
  
"Famished!" chorused the pair.  
  
"Alright!" said Saria's fairy. "We can each find something to eat. You two can collect fruits from our trees. Saria and I'll get the roundest, juiciest berries we can find! That mushroom can wait."  
  
"I'll help!" said Navi, who finally wriggled free from Link's hat, and she followed them out the door, leaving the two Hylians alone in the room.  
  
Silence resonated around them.  
  
"Well," said Link. "Better get to work. We can get baskets at my house and then I'll show you to our trees."  
  
Zelda nodded. "OK."  
  
As they left the house, they noticed that none of the kids (to their great surprise) had come over to talk to them. Instead, they were just whispering among themselves as they passed. Soon, the pair stopped in front of a large tree with a tiny hut perched in it's branches.  
  
"This is your house?" asked Zelda.  
  
Link stared at the ground. "Um . . . yes . . . "  
  
"It's great!"  
  
His head shot straight up. "Huh?"  
  
"I love it! It's so cute! Did you build it yourself?"  
  
He could feel his cheek turning pink. "Yeah . . . with a bit of help . . . "  
  
"Oh, wow! I'm impressed!"  
  
He gave her an ear-to-ear smile and climbed up the ladder, with Zelda at his heels.  
  
"It's very nice. I like it here," said the Princess as she looked around.  
  
A tiny little cotton bed rested at the back of the room; a cute little bowl of fruits set on a wooden round table in the middle; closets and shelves holding numerous items such as masks, a boomerang, slingshot, and ocarinas; cute little pictures had been carved on the walls, most of them being about warriors and swords.  
  
"Thanks," he said and grabbed two medium-sized baskets from the closet (he's been enlarging his house for the past five years, now -since he was ten-). "I missed this place already."  
  
Zelda froze. "Because you've been searching for me," she added in a low voice. "Why did you do it?"  
  
He stared for a while (this is the stare-at-nothing-in-particular kinda stare).  
  
"I . . . I've been . . . " He gave up and sighed. "I needed to find the Oracle . . . And you were the only one to know about her . . . "  
  
He stood there, waiting for a reaction, and to his great surprise, she smiled.  
  
"Alright," she said. "We'll do this the You-Help-Me/I-Help-You way! You help me get that mushroom, and I help you find the Oracle! Deal?"  
  
She extended her hand towards him and he gladly shook it.  
  
"Deal."  
  
"Well, what are we waiting for?" she said triumphantly. "Those fruits won't pick themselves! Besides, like your friend says, those things can wait!"  
  
"Right!"  
  
And they climbed back down the ladder once again and ran off into the forest.  
  
Maybe Princesses weren't so bad after all . . .  
  
No, not at all.  
  
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*  
  
Author's Notes: Phew! Another chapter done! Longest one yet! ^_____^Again, I'm sorry for the long wait! For some reason, my stupid computer wouldn't let me connect! At least I'm halfway through Chapter 8. Just to let you know, I made this chapter so we can get to know Zelda better (in my POV). Sorry if she seemed a bit off character . . . Just tell me in you reviews and I'll try to improve.  
  
Oh, by the way, I kept getting reviews saying that I must be nuts to say that I was bad at writing in my Bio. Since there were so many of them, I decided to change it AND to add a bit more info for you guys to get to know me better! ^.^ I hope this satisfies you! Now the REAL action's coming up in next chapter! Stay tuned! And PLZ review! You don't know how much it helps! Ciao!  
  
Ani ^_~ 


	8. Chapter 8: Farore's Emerald

The Legend of Zelda :  
Fate VS Destiny  
  
Chapter 8 : Farore's Emerald  
  
* ~ * ~ *  
  
"I have to do WHAT?!" exclaimed Zelda as she looked down the hole.  
  
"Jump down. Why? You scared?" he said. He wasn't mocking.  
  
She looked at him. "No!"  
  
"Well, then, what is it?"  
  
She peered down the hole again. "It's just that . . . I can't see the bottom . . . Are you sure you've done this before?" she asked.  
  
"Loads of times," he assured her. "Besides, the view is totally worth it. Trust me."  
  
//Trust me.//  
  
Somehow, these two simple words brought a strange unknown sensation swelling all over her body. She stood up and smiled.  
  
"Alright. I'll do it."  
  
Brushing off the leaves and twigs from her cape, she walked to the edge of the hole and-  
  
"Geronimo!" she yelled.  
  
Link peered down as she fell deeper into the darkness, and after making sure he heard a soft thud, telling him she had landed safely, he jumped in after her. He landed on a light blue platform inside a huge cave-like room. Small butterflies fluttered around him. He picked up a long stick on the floor and held it still. Slowly, just slowly, the flying creatures swooped in and gently sat on the stick. Wanting to show the Princess, he carefully walked toward the girl (who had her back toward him) and he quietly held the stick near her. And then, the little butterflies flew up and settled on her shoulder.  
  
But she was too distracted with what was in front of her to notice.  
  
Glittering under the light shining from the ceiling stood a very large tree containing sparkling silver leaves and millions of fruits of all shapes and colors imaginable. She had never seen such a thing in her entire damn royal life. It was only when the butterfly flew from her shoulder and brushed her soft cheek that she came back to her senses.  
  
"How did you do that?" she asked.  
  
"Do what?"  
  
He realized she was talking about the butterfly.  
  
"Oh, that. It's just a little trick I learned from who-knows-where."  
  
Zelda stared for a while, thinking about his answer, nodded and turned back to the tree. "You were right," she said. "The sight is beautiful . . . "  
  
Without warning, she took off her cape for the first time, revealing a dark blue traveling dress and a large quiver on her back. A nice flowery smell suddenly filled his nostrils.  
  
"What kind of showers do you royals take, anyway?" he asked before he could stop himself.  
  
She stared at him before answering, "Um . . . no, it's not that. I always play in my personal gardens after my 'lessons', chasing birds. I guess that's how I got my scent . . . " She took out her bow and arrow before giving him a suspicious look. "Why?"  
  
Caught off guard, he stammered, "Huh? Oh, er . . . Nothing . . . just curious, that's all . . . Hey, what exactly are you going to do with that?" He pointed at her weapon half afraid he might play a certain role of 'target'.  
  
Without answering, she shot an arrow towards the tree. It hit a branch so hard, that it wiggled and wriggled and all the fruits it was carrying came tumbling down.  
  
"C'mon, you didn't actually think I would climb up there, did you? No thank you. Not with these clothes," she answered.  
  
"Yeah, I get it. Only now my tree will be filled with arrows . . . " he said, scratching the back of his head (hat).  
  
She lowered her bow. "Oh, right, I forgot. Wait just a minute."  
  
She slowly lifted her hand and pointed at the dangling arrow, which suddenly began to fade and finally disappeared.  
  
"Wh- where'd it go?!" he exclaimed.  
  
"Back in my quiver. Like this, I won't waste any arrows when I use them. But I still have a lot to learn when it comes to magic."  
  
"Really? Like what?"  
  
"Like attack and defense tactics. But I'm making progress. What I AM good at comes to curses, spells and enchantments."  
  
She smiled and bent down to pick up the fallen fruits.  
  
"Careful with the twisted purple ones," he warned. "They're sour. And watch out for the pink ones, they explode after a while."  
  
"That's okay," she said picking up a blue heart-shaped plum. "I love sour taste, and I don't mind getting dirty for once. You should try staying at the palace for thirty minutes."  
  
Link picked up a red star-shaped fruit and dropped it in his basket. "That bad, huh?"  
  
"Of course," she said. "My step-mum always gets over her nerves. Once, she claimed to have a heart-attack only because I'd gotten dust under my shoes! Mother didn't use to mind . . . " She quickly shook her head, swaying her golden hair around in the process, and shot another arrow at a nearby branch, bringing down more fruits.  
  
Link stayed silent. He was amazed. Was this the Princess he was supposed to meet? No -wait- that couldn't be the Princess . . . It was more like a mask . . . The mask of a beautiful, yet caring Princess, and under that was . . .  
  
a tomboy???!!!  
  
No way! And yet, it felt so . . . natural talking to Zelda. Just like it felt natural being with Malon and chatting with Saria.  
  
Weird.  
  
At long last, their baskets were full, and Zelda was swirling her cape around her again when she asked, "Um . . . Link? How exactly are we going to get back up?"  
  
"Don't worry. I got it covered. Just stand on the blue platform!"  
  
She stared at him, then at the platform, the back at him. She sighed.  
  
"You make it sound so easy . . . "  
  
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *  
  
"Um . . . -excuse me- Princess?" asked Saria from across the table.  
  
Zelda swallowed her mouthful of fruit jelly. "Please, call me Zelda."  
  
"Of course -Zelda- . . . see . . . Link may not have told you this but . . . he's been looking for something . . . it's the-"  
  
"Oracle, I know," she finished. "Link told me that." She looked at Link for a few seconds with a sudden, serious look on her face. Now, she looked more like a princess that ever! "But it won't be easy," she said in a low voice. "There are things you'll need and things you need to find, each one at a price (don't ask, I have no idea what) . . . " She started counting them off with her fingers. "You'll need to know the song of the Royal Family -I can teach you that-, you'll need three specific jewels -you must find those- , and I think I'm forgetting somethi- Oh, yes! The Amulet -I can give that to you- . . ."  
  
They kept staring.  
  
"Um . . . That's it."  
  
Link spoke. "Seems like a lot, doesn't it?"  
  
She shrugged. "I suppose so . . . "  
  
"So all Link needs are those three gems. What are they?" said Saria.  
  
"There is only one of each in the entire world. They are priceless and very valuable. They're called: Farore's Emerald, Din's Ruby, and Nayru's Sapphire. Each of them is kept by some sort of Guardian. These gems and Guardians are only visible when one possesses the Amulet."  
  
"So the Lenses of Truth wouldn't work on them?" asked Link.  
  
She answered with a curious look.  
  
"It's this magnifying glass-like device I use to see invisible stuff, no big deal," he said.  
  
"Really?!" She shook her head. "No, I don't think something like that could make them appear. These Guardians are mystical creatures. But where in Hyrule did you find such an item?" She regretted asking the question as soon as she had said it.  
  
It seemed to worry him for some reason. He laughed nervously. "I'm sorry! I really can't remember," he said. "Every time I try to get a clear image, this dark old well pops up!"  
  
And to his amazement, she smiled too.  
  
"I know what you mean. I was once hit by a vision and I saw myself surrounded by fire in a dark room. Then, these two strange skeleton creatures emerge. I don't knoe what's wrong with me . . . "  
  
Saria couldn't help but stare at her feet. This was going to be a tight conversation. Navi noticed that, too, and decided to change the subject.  
  
"So, do you have the 'Amulet'?" she asked the Princess.  
  
"No," she said shaking her head. "But I can still give it to you."  
  
They all watched curiously as she held out her palm and muttered something under her breath. Then, out of nowhere, a necklace suddenly appeared in her hand. There was a round, golden amulet attached to it with three holes forming a triangle on it. It was absolutely gorgeous and cute! ^.^  
  
"These are the spots where you need to place the three gems," said Zelda pointing at the holes. "When all three of them are in place, you'll be able to see the Oracle."  
  
Link observed the object closely. He had never seen something so bright and shiny. "Now, all we need is to find those famous jewels," he said, more to himself than anybody else. "Do you have any idea where they are?"  
  
Zelda thought. "Well, for one thing, I know that one of them is hidden somewhere here. That's a head start for you."  
  
As if on cue, Saria looked suddenly very excited and anxious. She suddenly sat up with such a jolt, that her chair fell backwards onto the floor. The two Hylians stared at her in surprise.  
  
"I - I think I know where it is - Farore's Emerald - I know where it's hidden!!!!" she said breathlessly. "Come on! Follow me!!!"  
  
She ran out of the door without giving them the time to say something about it. Without hesitation, the two young Hylians ran after her, leaving their feasts behind.  
  
*~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *  
  
"Saria, are you taking us to the Forest Meadow?" asked Link as he followed his friend through the tunnels of the Lost Woods, Zelda at his heels.  
  
"No," replied the Kokiri. "You don't know about this place. I found it a few months ago at night. I was sitting against a tree when I suddenly fell and . . . I think . . . Yes, here it is."  
  
They were standing near the edge of a cliff right above green fields lit by sunlight. A single tree stood alone with its (only) branch holding a round, wooden target. Near the tree were two round platforms with two weird looking creatures standing on each of them, playing their flutes. They almost looked like scarecrows.  
  
"We can get down there by using this," said Saria, pointing at a ladder tied to the wall of the cliff.  
  
Without hesitation, she climbed halfway down, jumped and landed with a thud. Link turned to Zelda.  
  
"Ladies first!" he said.  
  
As soon as they both climbed down, though, the weird creatures jumped to the ground, yelling, "It's him! It's him!" and started shooting what looked like white leaves at them. Link easily blocked them with his shield; Saria ducked; Zelda moved out of the way and hid behind the tree. These leaves looked sharp.  
  
"Go away! Leave us alone!" yelled Saria.  
  
She took out her slingshot and fired rocks at each of them, who vanished during back flips. The Princess dusted herself.  
  
"What were those things?" she asked in shock.  
  
"Skull Kids," grunted Navi. "They're children that get lost in the forest. Try and avoid them as much as you can, mind."  
  
"They don't like adults much," said Link, answering her puzzled look. "That's why they hate us . . . "  
  
He turned and looked at his Kokiri friend, who was too busy patting down the tree bark, as if looking for a secret switch. She finally found what she was looking for and pulled. A door suddenly swung open revealing a dark hole on the ground inside the tree trunk.  
  
"I think that the Guardian and the Emerald are in there," Saria said. "I couldn't see them before because they were invisible, like you said, Princess."  
  
Link bent down and peered at the hole. "Alright, then," he said.  
  
He stood up and jumped in, followed by Navi and Saria. The Princess looked down the hole, disgusted at the thought of jumping in. After a while, she dropped in as well. When she landed, though, she saw to her great horror that her friends were in the center of a large circular room. They were examining the statue of a hideous bug the size of a bed before them. It looked like shell-covered ant.  
  
Zelda panicked.  
  
"Link! Saria! WATCH OUT!" she yelled.  
  
But as soon as she said it, millions of thin vine-like roots sprouted from the ground around the Hylian boy creating a large arena, separating him from the girls. Two thick vines suddenly seized Saria around the waist and neck and lifted her up, up in the air, choking her to death. Link didn't have time to react. The bug statue they had seen earlier came to life as four black and green wings emerged from its back. The monster let out a high-pitched scream and the boy backed up.  
  
"Sweet merciful Din," he moaned.  
  
~  
  
Saria struggled against the roots but they only squeezed tighter. She almost couldn't breathe. Zelda panicked. The Kokiri was too high for her to reach; she needed a long-range weapon. She quickly seized her bow and fired an arrow at the roots sustaining her friend.  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
"Great. Just great," she muttered.  
  
~  
  
Link wasn't having anymore fun on his side of the field. The butterfly monster was flying in circles above him, shooting what looked like poisonous fangs at him. Navi was glowing a deep, yellow color as she hovered near the bug-like creature.  
  
"Link!" she shouted over the monster's yells. "Hitting her with your sword won't do you any good, right now! You have to get rid of her wings, first!"  
  
As if she had been listening, the guardian flew even faster and shot even more fangs, which Link dodged.  
  
"And how the HECK do I do that, eh?" he muttered under his breath as he help up his shield.  
  
~  
  
"Saria! Hold on!" Zelda yelled in panic.  
  
She knew that the Kokiri girl couldn't hang on much longer. She had to do something! But what?! Zelda was known for her knowledge all over Hyrule back at the castle, and people looked up to her for advice and instructions for their problems. Maybe, with a lot of luck, that knowledge would help her again? The Princess calmed down, and thought quickly. Plants were pretty vulnerable to fire, right? But she couldn't use magic to attack or shoot fireballs at them. She hadn't mastered THIS part of learning and would probably blow up the whole interior, like she almost did to her room the first time she had tried. But then, what WAS she good at?  
  
And then it hit her.  
  
Of course!  
  
She quickly seized her next arrow and touched the tip of it, muttering a quick spell. She had to hurry, every second passing by meant less air in Saria's lungs. The arrow's head suddenly (and finally) glowed a deep blood- red color surrounded by a strange orange aura.  
  
She had created the sacred Fire Arrows.  
  
She immediately took out her bow - aimed her magical arrow - fired -  
  
Bull's Eye!!!!!!  
  
A clear hit!!!  
  
The vines moaned and yelped in agony. Her plan worked. Now, their insides were burning at high speed. And as expected, they quickly gave up and released the Kokiri, who landed on Zelda. Saria let out a sharp long gasp and coughed uncontrollably. The Princess let out a quivered sigh of relief. Thank the Goddesses she was still alive!  
  
"Saria! Are you alright?!"  
  
"Yes . . . " she gasped massaging her throat. "I . . . I'm fine. Thank you so much!"  
  
The green haired girl quickly stood and helped her up. She glanced at where the vines had been. They were nowhere in sight (they obviously had sunk back under the ground due to the great amount of pain), leaving a small gap between the other roots creating the arena where Link and that butterfly- freak were. She was about to take a step forward when two new (and healthy) vines sprouted from where the previous ones had been. Saria quickly backed away, scared out of her wits at the thought of being strangled again, and looked up at Zelda.  
  
"Saria," she said. "When I tell you to, I want you to stand in front of this -barrier- and distract it until I hit them with my Fire Arrows."  
  
Saria looked puzzled. "Yes, but what - "  
  
"And when I do, they might as well sink back to the ground, if I'm right. This should give you enough space (and time) to run past them and hand my bow and quiver to Link."  
  
The Kokiri finally understood. "Gotcha," she said.  
  
Zelda nodded. "Good. Now, when I hand you my bow, you run. Fast. Got it?"  
  
The Princess took two more arrows and gave her the quiver. Saria set it behind her back and stepped up to the roots. She stuck out her tongue at them. "Hey, slime brains!" she yelled. "Think you can catch me?!"  
  
Obviously angered, they (three of them) launched themselves at her -well they TRIED to, but they were sustained to the ground, remember that- and missed. Zelda took this opportunity and shot her magical arrows at them.  
  
Two more Bull's-Eyes!!!  
  
She quickly handed her bow to the Kokiri girl as the roots howled in pain and sunk to the ground and watched as the little girl sprinted through the gap untouched. But to her great dismay, two healthy vines seized HER by the arms and held her firmly to the spot.  
  
"For the love of Nayru," she moaned.  
  
~  
  
Saria had run past the roots safely and found herself in the arena clutching the bow and quiver in her hands. She could see Link. He was crouched behind his shield, blocking of the fangs the bug creature was shooting at him. She quickly ran up to him (making sure not to drop anything).  
  
"Link!" she shouted.  
  
He saw her and pulled her behind him.  
  
"Saria, how the hell did you - "  
  
"There's no time to explain! You have to use these to kill that -thing- !"  
  
She showed him Zelda's weapons since he was too busy maintaining his shield; that bug was strong. He took one glance at them and shook his head.  
  
"But Saria, I can't - "  
  
"Trust me, Link!" she said, cutting him for the second time. "You CAN do this! I KNOW you can! Please! I need to help Zelda!"  
  
There was such an urgency in her voice that he looked at where the Princess was (a vine was now wrapping itself around her neck) and back at Saria. He quickly nodded.  
  
"Okay. Take care."  
  
"You too!"  
  
He stood up, set his shield behind his back, took the quiver and bow and broke into a run the opposite direction doing all this in an extremely fast speed. Seeing this, the butterfly monster flew right after him while Saria ran back to the spot where Zelda was being held. Link ran faster still, making it hard for the giant bug to keep up . . . which was exactly what he wanted.  
  
She finally slowed down.  
  
Link took an arrow from the quiver and set it to the bow. He somehow knew what to do. It was his first try at archery and yet - . . . it somehow felt so natural. He stopped running, turned around and fired. Caught off guard, the Guardian did everything she could to get out of the way.  
  
The arrow hit her left eye.  
  
She let out a long, high-pitched scream and whirled around, trying to hide her face. Link took this opportunity and cut off her wings with two quick slashes from his sword. The creature screeched even more while what looked like green goo leaked from her back, right from the spot where her wings had been. Half blind and unable to fly, she ran away as fast as her many straw-like legs could carry her. She was very slow.  
  
"Oh, no, you don't," he muttered.  
  
Link ran around her, causing him to face her and stroked her neck. Her body stood still as her head fell to the ground and rolled away across the floor. Link looked up. More green goo seemed to be leaking from her neck. Her dead body finally collapsed to the ground and, without warning, exploded, sending bits of green blood and flesh everywhere (yew!). He found the heart. It was black and stained, desperately trying to pump any remaining green liquid. Deciding not to stain his leather boots, he pushed his sword right through it.  
  
The beating stopped.  
  
It was over.  
  
As soon as they had come, the vines suddenly disappeared; causing Saria to fall back (she had been trying to pull them off Zelda). The Princess gently stroked her throat, relieved she was still breathing.  
  
"Zelda! Your plan worked!" she said triumphantly, dancing up and down. "He won!"  
  
She looked at her and smiled. "I'm glad," she sighed.  
  
They both ran toward him. Suddenly, the room lit up and a mystic creature appeared before them. She had dark green hair with sparkling emerald eyes and was wearing a light green robe. White and green wings sprouted from her back. She was that butterfly monster . . . or HAD been. The two girls stopped running and stared in awe. Link was thunderstruck. The fairy-like Guardian spoke.  
  
"Thank you, Hero of Time. Thanks to you, my curse has been lifted and I can now die in peace . . . "  
  
She didn't look at all troubled by the fact that she was dying. On the contrary, she looked perfectly happy and relieved. That must have been some curse! Link finally found his voice.  
  
"You're . . . What did you call me?"  
  
The woman smiled. "That is not for me to answer. However, the mystical Farore's Emerald needs a new Guardian now, for the near future . . . You shall find that new Guardian." She took a string that had appeared around her neck with a little bag attached to it and dropped it at his feet. "Now, Hero of Time, receive this gem . . . And . . . Farewell . . . "  
  
And with a flash of green light, she was gone. There was an uncomfortable silence between the three (five, if you count Saria and Link's fairies). The two girls watched as Link bent down and picked up the necklace the Guardian had left them. He then noticed a small chest in the middle of the room. With a swift movement of his foot, he kicked it open and reached inside.  
  
He pulled out a teeny-tiny crystal-shaped emerald sparkling with green light. It was very small . . . and absolutely gorgeous! He took out the Amulet from his pouch and placed the gem in the hole to the right. He just felt like it belonged there. As he stared at it, he couldn't help thinking,  
  
'One down, two to go . . . '  
  
*~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ *  
  
Author's Notes: Finally! Sorry it took so long! I'm not that good with action scenes . . . Anyway, school's starting for me (in about TWO DAYS!!!!!) *weep*, so you might not want to expect the next chapters in a week's time. But plz bare with me!!!! And plz review!!!!! You have NO IDEA how much it helps!!!  
  
Ani 


	9. Chapter 9: Awkward Moments

The Legend of Zelda :  
Fate VS Destiny  
  
Chapter 9: Awkward Moments  
  
~  
  
Link, Saria and Zelda soon emerged from the guardian's hiding place. None of them said a word. They didn't need to. They had just killed a sacred creature without knowing it. Such an action can be highly disliked.  
  
That's what each of them felt, anyway.  
  
Link wasn't too shaken, but he didn't think it had all been nothing, either. After all, he had killed many creatures in the past, and he had destroyed large amounts of Deku Scrubs and Boko Babas before. So, that was okay, right? And besides, there wasn't any other way of breaking that curse on the guardian, was there? That evil form attacked and he had reacted. It wasn't entirely his fault. But then, maybe there could have been another way. . . Maybe, maybe there had been another cure. Could he have saved her? Had there been another way to free her from the spell? Link kept skating back and forth through his thoughts, each bringing up an unlikely conclusion. He knew he wouldn't get anywhere at this rate, and he just let it drop.  
  
Saria wasn't having any better thoughts in her mind. She had just witnessed the death of a creature she was close to call a goddess. A forest creature. Why did it all have to be this way? Why is it that whenever a curse or spell had to be cast, it was always the forest it had to torture? Why? This wasn't right. Nothing seemed to be right anymore. She was the Sage of the Forest, for Farore's sake! Wasn't she supposed to know when something as horrible as this was about to happen, especially near her home? Wasn't she the chosen sage blessed with the knowledge of her forest? And why is it that -  
  
Her thoughts are interrupted as a huge headache came to greet her. She stopped thinking.  
  
The one that seemed the most affected, though, was Zelda. The Hylian Princess was completely shaken, unsure of what she had seen, and, for once, confused. It was the first time, in all of her royal, care-free and spoiled life, that she had ever helped kill something. Sure, it was Link who had done the job, but with her weapons, and her help. A sudden mind breakdown was about to erupt, so her thoughts drifted to the guardian. That creature had died in the hands of Fate. The big, slimy, dirty filthy, spoiled hands of Fate. She knew she shouldn't curse life like that, but she couldn't help it. It was all too much for her. She had to remind herself to tell a small prayer when she got back to the castle. Sudden images of her Father popped up in her mind, and she thought no more.  
  
The three of them stood silent for a few seconds. And Link finally spoke first,  
  
"Well . . . that was something," he said in a voice he couldn't quite recognize as his own.  
  
"Yes, it was," replied Saria in a whisper.  
  
"Indeed," said Zelda. "I've never witnessed anything like this before . . . "  
  
It was as if Link had just realized she was there. "Um, right . . . about that . . . I'm sorry you had to get involved into this mess," he said apologetically.  
  
The Princess shook her head. "It's all right. We had no idea what was to come. I just hope that none of the others will notice the scratch in my arm. I will have to fix that."  
  
"Sorry again," he said, then grinned. "By the way, thanks for saving Saria back there."  
  
"Yeah!" piped Saria. "It was awesome! The way you shot that vine thingy with your Fire Arrows - " She suddenly clasped her hands over her mouth, her eyes big and round in horror, as if she shouldn't have said that.  
  
She shouldn't have.  
  
The Hylian Princess was gaping down at her in total surprise as she tried to find her voice.  
  
"Oh, so that's what you used? I wondered," said Link, a bit confused.  
  
There was another of those déjà-vu feelings. A sudden flashback appeared in his head.  
  
//Man, what a day . . .  
  
I hope I won't have to do that again . . .  
  
Wait a minute.  
  
Where the heck am I?! I'm standing on an island. A very small island. With a lone tree on it.  
  
Great.  
  
I hope it's not one of those crazy visions I'm having again . . .  
  
Cause I'm tired like hell of those. They totally freak me out. They also make me feel uneasy . . .  
  
And the worst part . . . is that I feel like I've seen those things before . . .  
  
Yep.  
  
I'm definitely losing it.  
  
Hang on. Looks like I'm not alone. Only I can't see who it is . . . Farore, why does it have to be so dark at night?! The sun's about to rise, though. That's good.  
  
Now the sky's slowly turning purple . . . then pink . . . Now, the sky is blue, and a small patch of yellow rises between the trees.  
  
Wow.  
  
I gotta watch the sunrise more often . . .  
  
My attention turns back to the figure next to me. He's a tall guy, older than me . . . He's wearing what looks like white pants and shirt . . . Um . . . He's also wearing leather boots and gloves and a leather belt, too. Is that a Kokiri tunic?! Gee, I never knew those were popular. Hang on. It's blue. A blue tunic. With a blue hat, too. I think I'm gonna have a seizure.  
  
If I look closer, I can see that the guy has got SOME muscles. I mean, LOOK AT THEM! Gee, what kind of super-advanced training did he use anyway? I bet a lot of girls fall for this guy.  
  
Oh.  
  
I can't believe this. I don't want to believe it one bit.  
  
I think the guy's me. I'm not kidding! He has the same, untidy, dirty blond hair, with electric blue eyes. But what I find harder to believe is that he's - I'm . . .  
  
Handsome!  
  
Cool! Now, I know any girl would fall for me in the future!  
  
But anyway, back to reality (which I don't think this is, but anyway . . . ). The big guy (me) seems to be reading something written on a stone nearby. He then reaches into his back and takes out a big bow (not exactly like the one Zelda has, but still big), and an arrow. He sets his aim - and his target is . . . the sun?! What's the guy playing at?! - He fires - and something red and shiny slowly settles down on an even smaller island than the one we're standing on.  
  
That red and shiny thing is actually a weird arrow with its head completely covered with this red gem-like thing.  
  
The name just pops in my head.  
  
The Fire Arrows.//  
  
Link quickly shaked his head and blinked. Navi and Saria were both staring down at him from above with concern written all over their faces.  
  
Wait a minute -  
  
From above?  
  
He took a look around. He was back in his hut, lying on his bed and wide awake, now. Had he passed out? Great Goddesses, that would explain the huge bump on his head.  
  
Both girls looked relieved.  
  
Especially Saria. "Are you OK?!" she asked.  
  
"Yeah," he grumbled as he sat up, rubbing his sore spot on the head. "What the heck happened?"  
  
Navi's tiny lips pursed, well, that's what he thought anyway. Fairies are too small. "You sorta passed out at the mention of the arrows, I think. And you eyes were wide open and black. Just like in Hyrule Field. By the Winds of Farore, Link, are you sure you're okay?"  
  
Link smiled. As much as he'd hate to admit it, he really liked Navi. That little fairy had such a temper, and yet, she's too much of a softy when it comes to Link's safety. Just like a mom. Or a sister.  
  
"I'm fine Navi. Gee, the way you sound, you'd think I had a heart attack or something."  
  
She sighed. "I know . . . I was just worried about you."  
  
Link smiled, then noticed that someone was missing. "Hey . . . Where's Zelda? Don't tell me the Deku Scrubs took her, because if they did, then it WASN'T my fault. I took care of those like you told me - "  
  
Saria suddenly burst out laughing, which made Link feel stupid all of a sudden.  
  
"Oh, she didn't get kidnapped, Link! You're so silly!" She took a breath. "Zelda's outside, preparing something for you head, I think, while waiting for Skull Kid to bring her some mushrooms."  
  
Link looked puzzled. "Mushrooms?"  
  
"For her Dad. Link, don't you remember?"  
  
"Oh! Yeah, yeah, I just . . . forgot."  
  
The Kokiri girl frowned, but shook her head as he looked away. By the winds of Farore, how could he have forgotten THAT?!  
  
Saria suddenly looked excited. "You should have SEEN her! She brought all these weird-looking ingredients from her cape and started smashing them and mixing the stuff! It was so cool! Anyway, she should be here any minute, now."  
  
Clunk, clunk, clunk.  
  
Someone was climbing up the ladder to his tree-house. A hand soon emerged holding a brown bag and settled it on the floor. Then, slowly, a blond head popped up and the Princess entered the house. She picked up the bag, while Link settled himself to sit at the edge of his bed, and she walked up to him.  
  
"Are you alright?" she asked, clutching the brown bag.  
  
He grinned. "Yeah, I'll be fine."  
  
She returned the grin, reached into her bag, and pulled out a wooden bowl (Kokiri material, he guessed) with what looked like blue cream inside. She handed the bowl to him.  
  
"Here," she said. "This should make that nasty bump of yours go away."  
  
He gladly took the bowl and rubbed the cream onto the sore part of his head. He soon felt the bump shrink and shrink until it wasn't there anymore.  
  
He just stared at her for a while. "Zelda, have you ever considered being a doctor later on? Cause you'd be good at it."  
  
She beamed. "I've never thought of that." She then shook her head. "But I don't think my future has that in store for me. My step-mom says that I was to be Queen and follow my Family's footsteps. I guess I shouldn't argue."  
  
Link nodded and looked at the floor, deep in thought. Being a Princess must be hard. Saria's voice tore him from his mind.  
  
"Oh, are you leaving?" she asked Zelda, a hint of disappointment in her voice.  
  
The Hylian boy looked up again and noticed that the Princess was indeed dressed in her brown cape again, ready to leave.  
  
"Yes," she said with regret. "I still need to go to Kakariko Village after I receive the mushrooms so the old woman can make the potion I need. I still need to help Father . . . "  
  
Link could only nod. Why was he feeling upset all of a sudden?  
  
He jumped when Navi said, "Hey, look! Skull Kid's here!"  
  
The four of them rushed outside to meet the fellow. He was wearing a rather strange skull mask and holding a tiny basket full of red slimy-looking mushrooms.  
  
"Is this Skull Kid?" whispered Zelda from behind Link. "Isn't he one of the creatures that attacked us in the woods?"  
  
"No, he's a friend. I'm not sure why, though. He claims that I gave him that skull mask when he didn't have any." Link smirked. "The worst part is that I don't remember doing any of it."  
  
The Princess raised her eyebrows and turned back to Skull Kid. He bowed politely and held up the freshly picked mushroom-filled basket.  
  
"Here you are, miss! I hope I picked enough!" His voice was light and squeaky. The Princess couldn't help but laugh. Everyone here looked so happy. Oh, why couldn't she feel just as light-hearted and care-free, like them?  
  
"Yes, thank you, Skull Kid. These will be more than necessary to help my Father," she replied.  
  
Skull Kid's smile widened at that. "You're very welcome! Any friend of Link is a friend of mine!" He handed her the basket, but as he stepped back, his jovial face turned serious. "I must warn you, though," he said with a tone Link had never heard before, "these mushrooms rot after an hour exactly! You must hurry if you want to take them safely to your destination."  
  
Zelda gave him a reassuring smile (much to Link's surprise) and nodded her head. "I'll hurry, don't worry. My horse is very fast, there's no need to worry, yet."  
  
"Okie-Dokee(A/N: How in the world do you spell that?! O.o)! Good bye and good luck! Bye Link!" he added quickly before he disappeared during back flips.  
  
Silence hung between each of them once again. None of them said a word.  
  
It was then that they realized all the Kokiri children were surrounding them with a distant, blank stare on their faces, as if waiting for something. Saria seemed to know what, and she broke the silence.  
  
"You ARE going to visit us soon, aren't you?" she asked Zelda, an obviously hopeful tone in her voice.  
  
The Princess looked surprised, for a moment. The little children were now looking at her with big puppy-eyes she couldn't resist. She smiled. "Of course I will! VERY soon," she assured.  
  
For a moment, she thought Saria was going to burst into tears, but her expression changed so quickly it was hard to tell if she had really seen it. The little Kokiri girl was shaking slightly, like she was fighting the urge to do something that would embarrass her.  
  
She had to fight it.  
  
But she couldn't.  
  
Saria suddenly ran up to her, flung her arms around her waist, and hugged her. She knew she shouldn't be doing this. She knew that the Princess would be widening her eyes with shock at that moment. She knew it wasn't right. But she couldn't help it. And neither could Zelda. Under the heavy weight of shock and disbelief she was carrying, a little prickle of longing boiled to the surface. She hugged her back. This was strange. This felt familiar. Too familiar. Had she done this before? When? She was too preoccupied with her current state to think about it.  
  
Link could only watch in awe. It was like mother and child. This was the first time he had seen her show such an affectionate action to someone other than himself. He didn't dare interrupt, nor had he the intention to. But a small question kept nagging the back of his mind. Why Zelda?  
  
Saria suddenly snapped her eyes open, as if realizing what she was doing. She tore herself from Zelda, ending the hug. The little Kokiri girl muttered a muffled apology, and dashed as fast as she could towards the village.  
  
Link wanted to run after her, but his feet were somehow glued to the ground and he couldn't move. He watched as Mido dashed after her, and he turned to the Princess. She was wearing a concerned expression on her face and her eyes were distant and hurt, as if the previous event was her fault. Link read her mind, and said,  
  
"Don't worry, I'm sure she's fine. Mido will take care of her." Seeing that she didn't believe him, he pressed on. "It's the first time someone ever comes to the forest, and she was probably over-emotional about it," he assured her, recalling his first departure after talking with the Deku Tree's spirit.  
  
After a moment, she nodded. "Alright, then . . . I . . . I guess I better get going, I only have an hour to get to the village."  
  
"I'll come partway with you," he said automatically.  
  
After saying good-bye to the Kokiris, Link and Zelda exited the forest and mounted their horses, who had been waiting for them. And then, the two of them rode to Hyrule Field.  
  
"So, where is Kakariko Village?" he asked after a while.  
  
Zelda grinned. "To the east, near Hyrule Castle Town. Have you ever been there?"  
  
He shook his head.  
  
"It's a nice place. We usually go there to check on the citizens, but mostly for political reasons. We also went to other places, but that was when Mother was around." She kept quiet after that.  
  
Silence hung between them once more. For a while, anyway.  
  
"Are you going to be fine on your own?" he asked (using a lot more concern in his voice than he intended to).  
  
Zelda, noticing this, smiled and nodded. "I'll be fine. Thank you. Besides, you need to comfort Saria, AND you still need to find a new guardian, since we . . . er . . . took care of the first one," she said in a small voice.  
  
He mentally slapped himself. How could he have forgotten THAT too?! Not fair . . .  
  
Zelda chuckled to herself. "Funny," she said. "I'm going to be in so much trouble when I get home. But I'm not too worried. I'm sure they'll be glad to see their 'precious Princess' again, and besides, they must have fixed my window by now."  
  
Link suddenly remembered something.  
  
"I almost forgot," he said. He reached into his back and pulled out her bow and quiver, which he handed to her. "Thanks for you help. I really appreciate it."  
  
"You're welcome. It was a bit fun." She admitted shyly. She put her weapons away in her cape (somehow) and added, "And thank you for helping me, Link. I couldn't have done it without you. And I hope you find what you've been looking for."  
  
She held out her hand, smiling, and he gladly shook it with is own.  
  
None of them spoke for a few seconds.  
  
Then,  
  
"Well, good luck, Princess. Farewell."  
  
Her lips suddenly formed a mischievous smile. "What for? You'll hear from me soon enough!"  
  
Before he could ponder what she had said, the Princess kicked Demon's sides and she was off, dashing towards Kakariko Village.  
  
**************************************************  
  
Author's Notes: Good-Bye Zelda! Sayonara! Adios! Ciao! Au revoir! ^.^  
  
Anyway, thought I was dead, huh? Well, I'm not, and I won't be for a LONG time. Didja like my little scene with Saria and Zelda? I sure liked writing it! So cute! By the way, I'm SO sorry for the long wait (again). Stupid school really keeps me busy. But I made up for it, didn't I?  
  
I'll make you a deal (Don't worry! It's not one of those 'gimme-ten-reviews- and-I'll-update' sort of deal!): If I get nice reviews, the chapters will be nice and long. Flames are accepted, although the chapters won't be as long as the previous ones. So the nicer the reviews, the longer the length! Not too much, is it?  
  
So that's that! Now, here's better news! If you guys are looking for some great z/l fics, check out my favourites (already full *weep* ¬.¬), where you'll find the best Zelda/Link stories!  
  
And also: Don't get your hopes up yet! The romance isn't going to come (for now). Link got brainwashed and doesn't remember his relationships with Zelda in the alternate future. Neither does she for that matter. But for now, it's only action and adventure. The romance and the REAL relationships will come later on. Just be patient! ^_^  
  
I think that's all . . . yeah . . . that's it! So you guys stick with me! You won't regret it! This story's long from over!  
  
Ani1 ^.^ 


	10. Chapter 10: A New Guardian

The Legend of Zelda :

Fate VS Destiny

Chapter 10: A New Guardian

~

            Link stood in the middle of Hyrule Field with Epona. The mare gently rubbed the back of his tunic and he quietly stroked her long white hair. He gave her a small golden fruit to munch and together, they walked back towards the Kokiri Forest. 

Navi had been waiting for them. "So, how did it go?" she asked.

"Just fine. Her Majesty must have made it to the village by now. I'm not too worried," he replied with a small shrug. "How's Saria?"

If fairies wouldn't have been so small, he could have sworn that Navi looked troubled. "Actually . . . I'm not too sure. I didn't have the time to see her yet. If you ask me, I think that she's calmed down a bit. Poor girl . . . " She shook her tiny head. "Lets go see her."

"Yeah, okay." 

He gave Epona one more fruit with a small good-bye, and followed the fairy to the entrance. As they crossed the wooden bridge leading to the village, Link's thoughts turned to Saria. Why _HAD _she hugged Zelda (not that he had anything against it)? He had never known her to be this emotional . . . Especially to someone she had only met a few hours ago. And why  did she run away like that? It was as if she had only just realized what she was doing and ran. Was she alright? 

"Hey, Link?"

"What?" he asked, tearing himself from his thoughts. "What is it, Navi?"

"Are you really going to do this quest? To get to the Oracle?"

He stared. He had never really thought about that before. Did he _really want to do this? Going through numerous obstacles and trials to get all the answers to his questions? Or stay, pass out on the fun, and sit back and relax? Sit back, relax, and stay totally ignorant of the countless concerns buzzing around in his head? Nah. _

"Yeah. I'm sure."

"Because it's not going to be easy, you know," she reminded him. 

Link pondered that for a moment. 

"I'll live," he finally replied, and Navi quietly accepted his answer.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Aw, come on, Saria! You did nothing wrong! Please, come down!"

"No!"

"Well, why not?!"

 "Everyone will just laugh at me!"

"To tell you the truth, I thought that was kinda sweet."

Saria stared down in surprise at Mido's serious face. He had meant it.

"Well . . . I still don't want to go. I feel so . . . embarrassed . . . I don't even know what made me do that." 

The truth was that she _DID _know. She believed it was something called longing. Why longing? Ever heard the words 'alternate future'? Either way, she wasn't about to tell him _that. He wouldn't understand. No one would understand. Not even Link. When she looked back down, she was met by the most intense and penetrating gaze she's ever seen from Mido. It almost made her jump._

"I still say you did nothing wrong," he told her.

And yet again, he had meant it.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Link rapped on the door. 

No answer. 

He knocked again.

"Saria?"

"Link, I don't think she's home . . . "

He pressed his ear against the wooden door and listened intently, trying to pick up any signs of life. 

"Yeah, I think so, too . . . Navi, could you check?"

"No problem!"

The little fairy flew down under the door, took a peek inside, and flew back out after a while.

"She's not there."

"Hmmm . . . " Link looked down, deep in thought. Poor Saria . . . "Let's go to the Forest Meadow, then."

"Okay." She settled herself on his hat and he made his way to the Lost Woods.

Left, right, left right, center tunnel, left, right . . . This was too easy. When he reached the maze, though, he noticed that Navi was rather quiet.

"Navi?"

"Hmmm?"

"You haven't talked the whole while. Is something wrong?"

"Huh? Oh, er, nothing, nothing. Just thinking . . . "

"About what?"

"It's nothing, really," she insisted. But seeing the look on his face, she said, "I was just wondering if you knew where to go to get the next jewel . . . Well? Do you?"

Link's heart sank horribly. Shoot! He had forgotten to ask Zelda where the stupid gem was!!!!!!

"Oh, um . . . I've got a pretty good idea where it is," he said.

"Oh, okay, then."

But it wasn't okay. He felt horrible. What was he going to do now?! Stupid, stupid, stupid! That dumb gem could be anywhere in Hyrule! How the heck was he going to find it?! Guess?! No way! Now, all his chances of finding the damn thing were instantly reduced to one on . . . – oh, what the heck?! – a zillion?! Perfect! Just great!

_Pluck!_

"Ow!" He quickly rubbed his head.

Navi had _menacingly pulled out one of his blond hair. _

"Navi, are you trying to make me go bald or something?! That _hurt!"_

She giggled. "Sorry, Link," she said. "But you've been standing there, doing nothing, for, like, five minutes staring at the wall. Let's _go!"_

"Alright, alright, I'm going," he mumbled. 

Really. Why _had _he ever wanted a fairy partner in the first place, huh? 

He rounded up corners and walked along the walls of the maze, not paying much attention to where he was going. He mostly ignored the numerous Deku Scrubs giving him very colorful curses and swears. Normally, Deku Scrubs would just shoot nuts and rocks at people, no matter who they were, but Link had given them a good lesson a couple of months ago. Now, they were worse than ever! Damn these creatures! Someone should seriously ban them!

After a few minutes, he reached the stairs leading straight to the Forest Meadow, and skipped up by fours hurriedly, quite eager to see his friend. When he reached the place, he saw Saria sitting on the (only) branch of a lone tree right before the Temple. Mido was at the foot of the tree, trying to talk to her, but nothing seemed to work. He quickly turned around, but felt instantly relieved to see Link behind him. Saria, of course, had seen him too.

Mido looked at the two of them and said in a small voice, "I'll leave you two alone . . . " That said, he quietly walked out. Saria watched him go and turned her attention to Link. He had a sorrowful, almost sorry look on his face. Her heart skipped a beat. Damn. She couldn't escape. Farore, save her . . .

He smiled. "How about another hug, first?" 

She couldn't keep it in any longer. Tears started to flow from her eyes like waterfalls, her heart was hammering against her chest like drums, and she was shaking violently. She quickly jumped down from her branch, ran up to him and gave him a suffocating hug. She felt him wrap his arms around her and everything suddenly felt normal again. Well, almost everything. 

The hug eventually ended, although she wasn't quite sure how long it had lasted, and they looked into each other's eyes. After what felt like eternity, Link asked, "You want to talk about it?"

She tried to speak but only managed to let out a blurred squeak. She shook her head. 

Link frowned slightly and gave her a searching look. His eyes were so blue . . . Farore, how she wished she could grow up . . .

At last, he said, "Well . . . do you feel any better, at least?"

Her throat was still dry, and no matter how hard she tried to utter a word, only a wet, gurgled gulp came out. Instead, she quickly wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and sniffed away the pain. She nodded. 

Yet another searching look. He didn't believe her. 

If she didn't say something, she felt like she was going to faint. Finally, she muttered, "I . . . I'm fine, Link . . . really . . . " she assured, seeing that his expression hadn't changed. 

He finally gave in, let out a defeated sigh, and shook his head. "Alright then . . . c'mon, we better go back to the village."

"Okay . . . " Making sure that her face was tear-free, the two of them descended the stairs leading to the maze. 

"Link," Navi warned, "the Deku Scrubs aren't happy. They're waiting for you around the corners." She flew over the walls and took a peek. "They look mad. Worse than mad," she added. 

"Oooh," Saria moaned and placed her face in her hands. Link looked down at her. Surely, she didn't want to face those annoying creatures in her current state. At least, he wouldn't let her. 

"Looks like the only way to go is up," he said simply. Saria looked up and saw him pointing at an old ladder standing against the wall in front of them. She knew what he planned to do. They had done it many times before. 

"Ladies first," he told her. 

This seemed to cheer her up. "You mean you're not a lady?" she asked, sounding surprised. 

He smiled. "Do I look like one?"

Saria was already halfway up when he had said that. She laughed. "Of course! Even a thick-headed Boko Baba would notice." With that said, she quickly climbed the rest of the way up before he could grad something (probably Navi :) )and throw it at her. He soon followed and they walked over the edges all the way back to the tunnels of the Lost Woods. 

"Link?" asked Saria. 

"Yes?"

"Do you still have that little bag the Guardian gave you?"

He suddenly remembered what she was talking about. "Yeah, I have it around here somewhere . . . " he said as he searched inside his pouch. "Ah, here it is," he said as he pulled out the small bag. "But what am I supposed to do with it? The Guardian never told us what is was for." 

Curiosity overtook him and he opened the bag-

-only to find it filled with emerald-green powder. 

"Alright now, what is that?!" he asked, astounded. "Is this some kind of a joke?!"

"Link, calm down. I'm sure there's an explanation for this. Gee, sometimes, I'm glad I don't have your temper," said Saria. 

"Alright, alright, I'm calming down," he said. "But if there weren't any mistakes, then what do we do with it?"

Navi looked inside and examined the substance (without touching it). She said, "Hmmm . . . There's a mythical power flowing through this powder . . . It's the power of the Guardian, I think . . . " she finally concluded. 

"So, you're saying that we have to use this on the person –or thing- we think should be the next Guardian?" Link asked.

"Yes, I think I am," agreed the fairy. 

Silence hung between them. Something clicked in Saria's mind. The others must have thought about the same thing, because they had all looked up at the same time, a little glint in their eyes. 

"I think we all know who that should be," she said with laughter in her eyes.

"The Great Deku Tree!" they all said together.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As soon as they entered the Kokiri Village, they all instantly noticed that the Kokiri weren't rushing in and drowning them with questions. Saria knew that Mido must have told them to stay quiet. She was grateful for it. 

They didn't waste any time, though; the three of them ran to the Deku Tree's resting place. The Deku Sprout was delighted to see them. 

"Oh, hello there! I was starting to wonder when you would come visit! Especially you, Link! Tell me. How's your quest coming along?"

He jumped. "Wait – you knew? How?!"

The Deku Sprout snorted. "I'm not entirely stupid, you know. I felt you leaving the forest, and I also knew you were traveling in search of something. AND I also happen to know about the Guardian incident."

Link let out a sigh of relief, seeing there wasn't anger in his voice. Then, he thought of something. "Then, you know I'm a Hylian, don't you?" he asked. 

"Yes, I do. But I didn't until _AFTER _you left, since I didn't get the complete knowledge of  my Father then."

"Oh, okay."

"Excuse me, Great Deku Sprout?" asked Saria. "If you don't mind my asking . . . Does that mean you know why we're here?"

The tree smiled. "Of course! It would be an honor to be the new Guardian! I'm so happy!"

Link and Saria smiled in reply. The Deku Tree Sprout was taking his role of Great Deku Tree perfectly. Link took out the leather bag, opened it, and walked up to the baby tree. 

"Alright . . . Are you ready?" he asked.

"I am ready when you are!" he replied. 

Okay, here goes." He took a handful of emerald powder, feeling this natural power tingling his skin, and sprinkled it over the little tree. He smiled at the thought of trying to sprinkle the stuff on a full grown Deku Tree. He'd have a job doing it. Almost instantly, green light erupted from the substance laying on the Sprout and a flash of light blinded them all. Once the light fainted, they blinked and saw that the Deku Sprout was sparkling with green, a triumphant smile and glint in his eyes.

"What a _cool feeling! Oh, wow! This is amazing! I can actually _feel _the power bubbling through my roots and into my body!" he said. "Thank you so much for choosing me! I promise I'll do everything I can to protect Farore's Emerald! You can count on me!"_

"We know you will," said Navi, hovering up to the tree's smiling face. He blushed.

"Thank you . . . " he whispered. "Again . . . "

He then looked up a Link. "So, where are you headed next, Link?"

Link paused for a minute, then chose his words carefully, in case Navi was listening. "Well . . . " he said. "I guess I'll be looking for the next jewel . . . Din's Ruby, I think it was called."

"Finding the other gems won't be easy . . . " said the Deku Sprout thoughtfully. "There's going to be danger ahead for you. Are you _sure you're up to it?"_

"I am."

"Yes, you're quite determined . . . Well, in that case, you have all the luck I possess, and my best wishes. I hope you'll find the Oracle, and that you'll get the answers to your questions."

Some kind of happy bubble started to erupt from the pit of Link's stomach. "Thank you, Great Deku Sprout," he said gratefully. 

And with their good-byes said, they left the meadow towards the village, where they sat down on the grass near the river. 

"So, what are you going to do now?" asked Saria in a small voice. 

Link shrugged. "I guess I'll leave again . . . to look for the gem."

She nodded, accepting his answer.

Meanwhile, Link pondered her question. What _WAS _he going to do now? He had no idea where the stupid jewel is! A voice interrupted his thoughts. 

*_Link.*_

"Yes, Saria?"

She looked at him. "I didn't say anything Link."

"What?"

*_Hello, Link? Can you hear me?*_

Saria looked confused. "Link, are you okay?"

"Y – yes, I . . . I'm fine," he said.

"Are you sure? You looked as if you were in a trance, or something."

"I'm sure. Don't worry about it. I guess I just imagined it."

"Imagined what?" asked Navi.

"Nothing. Just forget about it."

The two of them stayed silent for a while, and decided to let the matter drop. 

Link shook his head. What just happened? If he didn't know better, he'd say someone was trying to contact him. He was probably going mental . . . Well, if he was –

_*Link, if you can hear me, then say something, by the Goddesses!*_

Damn! He really WAS going mental!

"Uh, Navi? Saria?"

They looked at him again.

"Uh, I'm going to go think for a while. I'll . . . I'll be right back."

With that he ran like the devil was after him all the way to his hut. He quickly closed the drape he used as a door behind him.

The voice spoke again. 

_*Link, HELLO?!*_

"Yeah, yeah, I hear you! All right?! Just who are you?!"

_*Oh, thank Din! I thought you'd never answer! Hold on just a minute!*_

And then, his world went white.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Link looked around him. He was standing in some kind of church. A beautiful one, at that. His head felt empty. All of his worries, his pains, his troubles were erased from his mind. He felt like he was in a dream. This wasn't like those visions he was having. It was something else . . . 

A mythical altar stood before him. Beyond it was a door. Wait -  Was it a door? Anyway, it was  some kind of wall bearing a strange symbol. It looked like the sun. If he listened intently, he could almost hear a choir in the background. He already liked this place.

_*Strange . . . I never would have thought we would end up here, of all places . . . *_

He turned around and was surprised to see Zelda standing in the doorway. She was wearing the same clothes, but the brown cape was nowhere in sight. 

"Zelda? What are you doing here? Where are we?" he asked.

She smiled. _*I'm not quite sure myself, but I think this is the __Temple__ of _Time___, sacred temple worshiping the three Great Goddesses. I've been here quite often, it's where a sacred treasure is being held.*_

Temple of Time . . . Why did that ring a bell?

_*And as for me,*_ she continued. _*I tried to contact you using telepathy. I'm not quite good at it yet, so I do not know how long this will last.*_

"So that was you? I thought I was hallucinating for a moment."

She gave a small laugh. _*I'm sorry. Well, now you know what I am up to. What about you?*_

"Oh, well, we chose the Great Deku Sprout as the next Guardian. He's quite thrilled about it, if you ask me."

She laughed. _*I can imagine that,*_ she said. Her face suddenly turned sad. _*How's Saria?*_

"Oh, she's fine, don't worry about it. She's completely over it, now."

_*I'm sorry . . . It's just that I can't help feel partly responsible . . . *_

He stayed silent for a while.

"So . . . huh . . . are you really here?"

She frowned a bit, thinking over her answer. *_No . . . At least not physically . . . I can't really explain it . . .*_

"But what about you? Where are you – I mean, where WERE you?" he corrected.

_*Oh, me? I'm waiting for the elder woman to make me the medicine. I got to the village just in time, by the way. She should be done in thirty minutes. That's what she told me, anyway. But there are more important things to talk about. Link, do you know where Din's Ruby is?*_

He looked at the ground. "Um . . . no."

_*I didn't think so. That's why I contacted you. The next gem lies in a place called Death Mountain.*_

Link felt a great rush of gratitude towards Zelda and said, "Thank you, Zelda. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you."

She laughed again. _*You're welcome. I should leave now. I don't think my magic can hold on much longer.*_

Indeed, he could se sweat starting to roll down her forehead. 

"Then don't let me keep you, Your Highness."

She nodded and said, _*Alright.*_

And Link knew no more.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Link blinked and found himself back in his room again. Unfortunately, he didn't have that nice feeling in him anymore, and all of his troubles, worries, and pains were back. He brought a hand to his forehead and groaned. 

"Link?"

He looked over at the 'door', and saw Saria's head poking out from it. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Saria," he said. 

"Then, come on. We're going to help you get the next jewel!"

"Okay, I'm coming."

He followed her out the door. Navi was waiting for them outside. 

"Alright, so where's out next destination?" she asked.

"We're going to Death Mountain."

"What? Are you sure?"

"Positive."

He then took out the map he had received from the owl. The words 'Death Mountain' were written next to a volcano situated near the village called 'Kakariko' (that's where Zelda was, at the moment). No wonder they called it Death Mountain. 

"Link, Death Mountain is pretty far away," Navi remarked. 

"Oh, so you've noticed," he said sarcastically. 

She gave a "Humph!" and kicked his head. 

Saria, though, said, "Link, I think I know a shortcut."

He looked down at her for a while. 

He smiled. "Lead the way."

*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*

Author's Notes: Phew! I finally finished this chapter! Took me 12 pages to type that, you guys! I know nothing really happened, but believe me, I've got something special planned for the next chapter! I mean, VERY special! ^^ Only school is really keeping me busy, now, and I barely have time to do anything for myself, let alone write. The good news, is that I'm in a totally good mood because I got CANDY! I just loooove Halloween! You just gotta love it! Happy Halloween, everyone!

I also have a new Email! Here it is: zeldatetra@hotmail.com 

I have two messages, now:

1.) I want to make sure none of you took the romance thing the wrong way. There IS going to be romance, don't worry about it! Link only has time to MEET people during his quest for the Oracle! But when things calm down, he'll be able to develop certain relationships with certain people. ^_^ THAT'S when the romance comes in! I truly apologize if I didn't make it clear in the previous chapter. Sorry! :(

2.) You should totally read Sakurelle's story. It's great! It's called Flowing Tears. Go read it! Don't bother reviewing (although I'd be happier if you did)! Go! Now! As in, if you're still reading then you're likely going to click on the nice button on the left corner of the screen with 'Review' written on it. :3 

Anyway, that said, I have one last thing to say:

Stay tuned for the next chapter of: The Legend of Zelda: Fate VS Destiny (I really should think of a new title for that . . . -_-')!!!!!

Until then!

Ani1  ^_~


End file.
